Intelligence Report: War Support Made Spain Target On March 11, 2004
Jacob Cherian - All Headline News Staff Writer Madrid, Spain (AHN) - A Spanish secret police report quoted by the newspaper, El Pais, that the Iraq war and the fight against the al-Qaeda were motives for the terrorist attacks in Madrid on March 11, 2004; that left 191 dead and 1900 hurt. The Intelligence report stated that the thinking behind the Madrid attacks "is the same as that followed by the al-Qaeda strategists and those behind the war in Iraq." The 443-page document said that threats made by "al-Qaeda leaders like [Osama bin Laden's right-hand man Ayman] al-Zawahiri" in 2003 were against countires (like Spain) taking part in the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq. The report states, "Spanish troops in Iraq and Spanish interests outside Iraq were chosen as targets for terrorist attacks." The report also emphasized that the attackers in Madrid had looked at a document on the "Global Islamic Media" website, suggesting possible targets in order to "provoke a change in government" or "obtain a withdrawal of the Spanish troops in Iraq." Ironically, the attacks preceded the Spanish election in March 2004 by 3 days, leading the opposition, Socialist Party, to an unexpected victory. Spain has detained 29 individuals in connection with the attacks on trains heading toward Madrid's Alocha railway station,
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