Spain silently mourns train attack anniversary

Unlike the unity that Sept. 11 triggered among Americans, March 11 — 2½ years to the day after the attacks on New York and Washington — caused deep, bitter divisions among Spain’s parties and their supporters.

Aznar’s Popular Party says the Socialists won only because of what it calls a surgical strike against his pro-U.S. government, and dismissed the new administration as all but lacking a mandate. Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has repeatedly accused Aznar and company of lying to save the election by accusing ETA of the attack even as evidence of an Islamic link mounted.

As part of a security overhaul to prevent another attack, the government has dispersed Muslim militant prisoners in jails throughout the country to keep them from plotting together behind bars. The police unit specializing in Muslim extremism saw its staff quadrupled to 400.

Muslims speak out
Spain’s Muslims say they have suffered no backlash, but felt compelled to speak out against other Muslims who punished their adopted homeland so severely. The March 11 cell was made up largely of North African immigrants who had lived here for years.

Slide show   Terror strikes 191 people were killed in March 11, 2004, when terrorists planted bombs on four trains in the Spanish capital.

The main organization representing Spain’s million-member Muslim community, largely Sunni, condemned the train bombing and on Thursday issued what it said was the world’s first fatwa, or Islamic edict, against bin Laden.

Organizers of the tree-planting ceremony, however, did not invite a representative of the group to participate. Mansur Escudero, leader of the Islamic Commission of Spain and author of the fatwa, said this did not make sense but that he was only “surprised, not offended.”

The fatwa called bin Laden unworthy of considering himself or being treated as a Muslim, and claimed support from Muslim leaders in Morocco — home to most of the 22 jailed suspects in the Madrid attack — as well as Algeria and Libya.

“We felt now we had the responsibility and obligation to make this declaration,” Escudero said. Outside Madrid’s main mosque — where many March 11 suspects prayed — about 50 people gathered Friday with banners in Spanish and Arabic denouncing terrorism.

The 22 people jailed over the bombings face preliminary charges of terrorism or mass murder. Fifty-two detainees have been released but are still considered suspects. A trial is not expected until late this year at the earliest.

A painful anniversary
Across the city, it was a painful day for many.

Candles were placed on benches along a platform at Atocha, another bombed station. A crowd of at least 1,000 people broke into applause after observing the five minutes of silence. Clapping after a funeral is a common Spanish way of paying one’s respects.

Attached to a railing overlooking the platform that was bombed was a single red rose with a sign that said, “For you, my love, who are no longer with me.”

Juana Leal, who lost her husband in the El Pozo blast, said she got up early Friday to ride a train at the same time he did a year ago.

“He never came back. I am bringing him flowers,” she said. Leal placed a bouquet of carnations and daisies at an isolated spot on the platform. Tucked into it was a small photo of her husband.

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