2004 : Terrorists bomb trains in Madrid
On this day in 2004, 191 people are killed and nearly 2,000 are
injured when 10 bombs explode on four trains in three Madrid-area
train stations during a busy morning rush hour. The bombs were later
found to have been detonated by mobile phones.
The attacks, the deadliest against civilians on European soil since
the 1988 Lockerbie airplane bombing, were initially suspected to be
the work of the Basque separatist militant group ETA. This was soon
proved incorrect as evidence mounted against an extreme Islamist
militant group loosely tied to, but thought to be working in the name
of, al-Qaida.
Investigators believe that all of the blasts were caused by improvised
explosive devices that were packed in backpacks and brought aboard the
trains. The terrorists seem to have targeted Madrid's Atocha Station,
at or near which seven of the bombs were detonated. The other bombs
were detonated aboard trains near the El Poso del Tio Raimundo and
Santa Eugenia stations, most likely because of delays in the trains'
journeys on their way to Atocha. Three other bombs did not detonate as
planned and were later found intact.
Many in Spain and around the world saw the attacks as retaliation for
Spain's participation in the war in Iraq, where about 1,400 Spanish
soldiers were stationed at the time. The attacks took place two days
before a major Spanish election, in which anti-war Socialists swept to
power. The new government, led by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez
Zapatero, removed Spanish troops from Iraq, with the last leaving the
country in May 2004.
A second bombing, of a track of the high-speed AVE train, was
attempted on April 2, but was unsuccessful. The next day, Spanish
police linked the occupants of an apartment in Leganes, south of
Madrid, to the attacks. In the ensuing raid, seven suspects killed
themselves and one special forces agent by setting off bombs in the
apartment to avoid capture by the authorities. One other bomber is
believed to have been killed in the train bombings and 29 others have
been arrested. Their trial began in March 2007.
In memory of the victims of the March 11 bombings, a memorial forest
of olive and cypress trees was planted at the El Retiro park in
Madrid, near the Atocha railway station.
history.com/tdih.do
General Interest
2004 : Terrorists bomb trains in Madrid
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=4827
1861 : Confederate constitution adopted
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4825
1941 : FDR signs Lend-Lease
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6738
1942 : MacArthur leaves Corregidor
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6833
1990 : Lithuania proclaims its independence
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4826
#########################################
On this day in 2004, 191 people are killed and nearly 2,000 are
injured when 10 bombs explode on four trains in three Madrid-area
train stations during a busy morning rush hour. The bombs were later
found to have been detonated by mobile phones.
The attacks, the deadliest against civilians on European soil since
the 1988 Lockerbie airplane bombing, were initially suspected to be
the work of the Basque separatist militant group ETA. This was soon
proved incorrect as evidence mounted against an extreme Islamist
militant group loosely tied to, but thought to be working in the name
of, al-Qaida.
Investigators believe that all of the blasts were caused by improvised
explosive devices that were packed in backpacks and brought aboard the
trains. The terrorists seem to have targeted Madrid's Atocha Station,
at or near which seven of the bombs were detonated. The other bombs
were detonated aboard trains near the El Poso del Tio Raimundo and
Santa Eugenia stations, most likely because of delays in the trains'
journeys on their way to Atocha. Three other bombs did not detonate as
planned and were later found intact.
Many in Spain and around the world saw the attacks as retaliation for
Spain's participation in the war in Iraq, where about 1,400 Spanish
soldiers were stationed at the time. The attacks took place two days
before a major Spanish election, in which anti-war Socialists swept to
power. The new government, led by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez
Zapatero, removed Spanish troops from Iraq, with the last leaving the
country in May 2004.
A second bombing, of a track of the high-speed AVE train, was
attempted on April 2, but was unsuccessful. The next day, Spanish
police linked the occupants of an apartment in Leganes, south of
Madrid, to the attacks. In the ensuing raid, seven suspects killed
themselves and one special forces agent by setting off bombs in the
apartment to avoid capture by the authorities. One other bomber is
believed to have been killed in the train bombings and 29 others have
been arrested. Their trial began in March 2007.
In memory of the victims of the March 11 bombings, a memorial forest
of olive and cypress trees was planted at the El Retiro park in
Madrid, near the Atocha railway station.
history.com/tdih.do
General Interest
2004 : Terrorists bomb trains in Madrid
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=4827
1861 : Confederate constitution adopted
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4825
1941 : FDR signs Lend-Lease
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6738
1942 : MacArthur leaves Corregidor
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6833
1990 : Lithuania proclaims its independence
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4826
#########################################
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