From today's Washington Post:
Aznar also defended the interior minister, Angel Acebes, for initially telling reporters Thursday that ETA -- whose initials stand for Basque Homeland and Freedom -- was behind the attacks "without doubt."
Aznar related a list of recent, foiled ETA attempts to stage a major strike in the capital, including the capture of an explosive-laden van two weeks ago, and another foiled plot to bomb trains on Christmas Eve. "Isn't it reasonable to think that group would be the culprits?" Aznar asked rhetorically.
But officials had lately warned that ETA was attempting to carry out a large-scale attack in advance of the elections Sunday. Last month, Spanish Civil Guard national police intercepted a van packed with a half-ton of explosive potassium chlorate, and arrested two suspected ETA members who they said were planning a major bombing attack in an industrial area of Madrid. Last year on Christmas Eve, police arrested two ETA suspects who they said were plotting a series of bombings on trains. Police in that case found a 44-pound bomb planted on a train heading from San Sebastian, in the Basque region, to Madrid.
At a news conference this afternoon, Acebes, the interior minister, said: "ETA had been looking for a massacre in Spain. Unfortunately, today, it achieved its goal."
I do not think Anzar is yet in a position to consider the facts of the matter without emotion clouding his judgement... ETA to my knowledge has never attempted a massacre even close to this, and everything in the modus operandi points to AQ - the timing, the location, and the simultaneous attack pattern. No offense to Anzar, I'd be mad as hell too, and just looking for an excuse to nab anyone who could possibly have been the culprit.
I think Spain should attack Syria over this.