Madrid+Bombings+2004

=**// Madrid //****// Bombings //**= The **Madrid train bombings** consisted of a series of coordinated bombings against the //Cercanías// (commuter train) system of Madrid, Spain on the morning of 11 March 2004 (three days before Spain's general elections), killing 191 people and wounding 1,800.The official investigation by the Spanish Judiciary determined the attacks were directed by an al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist cell although no direct al-Qaeda participation (only "inspiration") has been established. Spanish miners who did not carry out the attacks but who sold the explosives to the terrorists were also arrested. Controversy regarding the handling and representation of the bombings by the government arose with Spain's two main political parties (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and Partido Popular (PP)), accusing each other of concealing or distorting evidence for electoral reasons. The bombings occurred three days before general elections which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent José María Aznar’s PP, which had obtained a small but narrowing lead in the opinion polls. Immediately after the bombing leaders of the PP claimed evidence indicating the Basque separatist organization ETAwas responsible for the bombings, an outcome generally thought favorable to the PP's chances of being re-elected while Islamist responsibility would have had the opposite effect, as it would have been perceived a consequence of the PP government taking Spain into the Iraq War, a policy very unpopular with Spaniards. Nationwide demonstrations and protests followed the attacks.The predominant view among political analysts is that the Aznar administration lost the general elections as a result of the handling and representation of the terrorist attacks, rather than the bombings per se. After 21 months of investigation, Judge Juan Del Olmo ruled Moroccan national Jamal Zougam guilty of physically carrying out the attack, ruling out any ETA intervention. The September 2007 sentence established neither known mastermind nor direct al-Qaida link.

CNN Correspondent Alessio Vinci, who is at the scene, said more than 180 bodies had been brought to the site, and more than 50 had been identified.Of 191 dead, 47 were foreigners, the Madrid Health department said. Thirteen of the victims died in hospitals of their wounds.Total 1500 injured persons, of whom 165 were judged to be seriously wounded, were transported by ambulance to at least 15 different hospitals and clinics in Madrid. It did not come to light until later that the distribution among the hospitals had been rather uneven. Spain has experienced in the last few years the highest relative and absolute growth in immigrant flows of the entire European Union. Society’s perception of a phenomenon previously almost unknown varies according to the opinions that circulate in public debate and depending on the extent to which immigration impinges on people’s daily life. Opinion polls have recorded this changing attitude over recent times. Although in general the view is favourable to the influx of new inhabitants, provided they have ready access to a job and are prepared to integrate themselves within Spanish society, there is a growing concern at the risk that an increasing foreign population could lead to rises in the crime rate and concern for public safety. Lastly, some people and victims will be traumatized bu this bombing.
 * __ Social impact: __** This incident is the most serious that has occurred in a European country in peacetime. A total of 191 people were killed and more than 1,500 injured. The magnitude of the attack called for the mobilisation of resources from several municipalities in the region. This resulted in not only the regional but also the national command organisation being activated – something which has previously never happened.

By: Bui Thi Quynh Trang (4I) Ervina Salim (4I)

Backgroung info given. However the part on the immigrants is not relevant. 7/10