Transportation System by Rail Madrid Attack, Essay Example

Introduction and background

This paper examines the terrorist attack on the rail transportation system in the Capital of Madrid. The attack on Atocha was inspired by the Islamic terrorist group Al Queda The attack was carried out on March 11^th 2004 and is one of the worst attacks carried out on the Spanish mainland. “The Arabic newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi said Thursday it had received a claim of responsibility for the Madrid train bombings issued in the name of Al Qaeda” (Fox News). The paper considers the motive for the attack and why this was carried out.

The terrorist attack

The bombers used an explosive called ‘titadire’ a form of compressed dynamite.  This was believed to have been delivered to the site in a van.  The terrorists planned for three big simultaneous explosions and designed to create the maximum number of civilian casualties during the Madrid rush hour. In all 10 bombs were planted as 15 minute intervals along a 9 mile stretch of railway track. Most of the bombs were in backpacks. The police found three additional bombs and neutralised them.

The result of the attack was absolute carnage.  They succeeded in killing 198 people and leaving 4000 wounded.  It is widely held that Al Queda planned the attack because of Spain’s support to America in the war on terror. Polls have suggested that some 94% of Spaniards are against the war on terror. This was designed to galvanise opinion before a general election being held in Spain some 3 days later.

The authority’s immediate response pointed the attack towards the Basque Separatist Group (ETA), this angered the people as the attack had all the hallmarks of Al Queda and it felt like the Government was trying to shift blame elsewhere. The Spanish police tracked the terrorists down and the end result was a battle in an apartment block “Spanish special forces besiege the apartment. The siege ends when the terrorists detonate bombs in the apartment, killing themselves and one policeman, Francisco Javier Torrenteras Gadea” (Corrigan).  The legal position is that this was an act of genocide perpetrated by the terrorist organization Al Queda and they have assumed responsibility for this “”We have succeeded in infiltrating the heart of crusader Europe and struck one of the bases of the crusader alliance,” said the letter, calling the attack “Operation Death Trains.”  (Trotta)

Recommendations

It is difficult to see how any terrorist attack can be prevented if there is a will to commit acts of genocide and equally have no regards for their own lives. This concept of their martyrdom was equally demonstrated in the tragedy of 9/11.  Perhaps these crimes should receive the same justice as acts of treason against a state and carry a mandatory death penalty.  However, with such primitive religious convictions this is unlikely to act as a suitable deterrent.  It has been proven that you cannot negotiate with terrorists and as such there is a need for an increased state of vigilance, advanced security measures and eradicate the threat at source whenever possible.

Works Cited

Corrigan, Damian. Madrid Bombings, March 11 2004 – A Timeline of Events. 11 2004. 20 8 2010 <http://gospain.about.com/od/spanishlife/a/madridbombtime_2.htm>.

Fox News. Fox News. 12 3 2004. 20 8 2010 <http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,113970,00.html>.

Trotta, Daniel. Madrid Bombs Kill 192; Purported Al Qaeda Claim . 11 3 2004. 20 8 2010 <http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0311-03.htm>.