The alleged al-Qaeda message claims the attacks are in response to the "Crusade [of] Spain, ally of American in its war against Islam." It concludes: "The peoples of the allies of the United States should force their governments to end this alliance in the war against terrorism, which means war against Islam. If you stop the war, we will stop ours."
But we have a terrorist version of a "fog of war" at the moment. Spanish Interior Minister Ángel Acebes has said he has "no doubt" that ETA is responsible. He also cites the type of explosive used as being the one normally used in ETA attacks: Acebes atribuye la autoría de los atentados a ETA El Mundo 03/11/04.
El País correspondent Jose Comas tells Der Spiegel he thinks ETA is the primary suspect group, though he isn't convinced. He notes that previous ETA attacks have not been primarily direct at terrorizing the general population as this one was, but rather focused on specific military, political or police targets.
El País (03/12/04) reports that another, previously unknown group called the Lions of Al-Mufridoon is also claiming reponsibility for the attack. The article also comments that the operation probably required up to 30 people to arrange, and that would not fit ETA's previous pattern of using smaller groups.
This Washington Post article gives the impression that American officials are encouraging speculation that it was an al-Qaeda attack. But it also points out that the Abu Hafs Al Masri Brigades have previously claimed responsibility for attacks in which it was determined that other culprits were responsible.
1 comment:
*El País* made their articles on the attacks free for a day or so afterward, but now they are all behind subscription. So the *El País* link in this post no longer works. *El País* is generally considered Spain's leading daily, and in my limited experience I find it better than *El Mundo*. But *El Mundo* is also a decent quality paper, in the grand scheme of things. - Bruce
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