If true, we can at least take comfort in the fact that the ETA has not dramatically escalated its activities.
My money, however, is on an Al Qaeda-ETA collaboration. An “enemy of my enemy” alliance. It’s the theory that seems to best fit the known facts.
But, then, blog analysis is not going to be worth much for the next few days, ’til the story settles down. (Assuming blog analysis is ever worth anything.) So I’ll stop my speculating here.
Could you substitute “responsibility” for “credit”?
Could you substitute “responsibility” for “credit”?
I could, but I’m quoting the title of the Fox News piece at the other end of the link.
Headline Writers Continue Assault On Sense
Once you start learning about the various terrorist groups, it’s amazing how incestuous that world really is, especially for groups with a faux-commie bend.
Headline Writers Continue Assault On Sense
I’m with you.
Once you start learning about the various terrorist groups, it’s amazing how incestuous that world really is, especially for groups with a faux-commie bend.
And the non-faux commies too!
von:
I agree. My money is on ETA providing footsoldiers, al Qaeda providing planning logistical support.
Oh, c’mon von, speculate away. Be bold! My own take is that it’s al Qaeda, simply taking the Occam’s Razor perspective. ETA has not done multiple bombings before and the theory that ETA wanted to make it look like al Qaeda sounds too convoluted.
Just spent a few moments looking for a cite, can’t find it.
Read a while, somewhere (I need to save this as I read it), that Spain was so quick to make a call based on the explosive used. Said explosive (timatadine….something like that), was consistently used by ETA, never by Al Qaeda, and a large quantity had been stolen by ETA in 99. For what this is worth, and if you believe Sp govt, etc.
But feels like Al Qaeda to me. 911 days since 9/11
It’s a bit too GenX a reaction, but my first thought when I heard of the ETA’s possible connection to the blasts was to recall Obi Wan and Luke coming upon a destroyed Jawa crawler. (See these tracks? They’re side-by-side. Sandpeople always walk single file to hide their numbers. . . . Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise.)
Yes, I am a geek.
Consider that perhaps Al-Qaeda actually did it, with assistance and ordnance supplied by ETA.
Rank speculation, but at this point, what isn’t?
The Al Qaida group that claimed reponsibility (abu Fahes al Masri? I’m probably misspelling that) falsely claimed responsibility for the east coast blackout last August. Link:
http://english.daralhayat.com/arab_news/08-2003/Article-20030818-14bdd659-c0a8-01ed-0079-6e1c903b7552/story.html
Of course, there’s other evidence of Al Qaida involvement. But the fact that these guys are at least sometimes full of it made me feel better, especially in light of the stuff about “the black wind of death” that was about to strike the U.S.
By Allah, I’m really behind the curve on this one. At first glance, I confused the ETA with the NEA and thought people were making (inappropriate) jokes about the NEA and Al Qaeda teaming up . . . so now I’m caught up. Phew! I thought I woke up in the Twighlight Zone there for a sec . . .
So . . . we are attacked once again by Al Qaeda, it seems. Interesting how many more times they’ve gotten us post-9/11 as opposed to prior to that date . . . and Bush is supposedly doing a “great job” on fighting terrorism? When Al Qaeda’s successfully attacked us numerous times since 9/11? Hm. Maybe we need to concentrate on nation building less and law enforcement more? That’s what I’d run on if I were Kerry . . .
Not to get overly-political or anything, but I am kinda curious to see how this plays out vis-a-vis Bush vs. Kerry. It seems as though this was time to coordinate with the Spanish election — I wonder what we can expect when we’re attacked during the U.S.’s presidential elections in November? And is Bush going to capitalize on fomenting fear as he has done so successfully in the past?
“Al Qaeda Claims Credit for Madrid Blasts”
Not really. I wrote about this on Friday.