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14. mars 2004
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Spanish election in the balance
The Spanish election is too close to call, with exit polls giving conflicting results. Whatever the result will be, it is clear that the last-minute relevation of an alleged al-Qaeda video tape has had a negative effect on the ruling Popular Party, and has helped the opposition. It is hard not to believe that was the intention.
The statement from the supposed al-Qaeda group blamed Spain's support on the US-lead war in Iraq for its action. The Socialist opposition has promised to pull out of Iraq if it gets into power.
In that case, al-Qaeda, or whoever is behind this horror, has reached its objective. Spain will eagerly give in to terrorist demands and blame America and Aznar for Islamist terrorists killing 200 of their countrymen.
The Spanish have been living next door to the French for way too long.
Who said that the Madrid bombing would be a wakeup call for Europe?
Update: BBC Radio now says the socialists are "well ahead" in the polls. However, it will not obtain an absolute majority in parliament.
Update 2: The Socialist party has claimed victory in the election. Apparently, they won 43% of the vote while the ruling Popular Party received 38%. The terrorist attacks thus had a major impact on the voting.
9:59:21 PM 
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— One of arrested Moroccans already a terror suspect
One of the Moroccans arrested in relation to the Madrid bombing was supposedly under surveillance in his home country, suspected for links to militants. Morocco did a major crackdown on militants after the Casablanca terrorist attacks in May.
Jamal Zougam, 30, was one of thousands of Moroccans put under surveillance by authorities after May terrorist bombings in the coastal city of Casablanca, a high-level official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity. There were no formal accusations against him.
The other two suspects, Mohamed Bekkali, 31, and Mohamed Chaoui, 34, had no police record at home, the official said.
If Zougam was legally in Spain, had Spanish authorities been made aware of the suspicions against him? If they were, why was he still allowed to enter the country? If not, there may have been a serious failure in intelligence sharing.
7:11:36 PM
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Britain to deploy train marshals
Britain will start deploying undercover anti-terrorist law enforcement officers on trains and the London Underground. These officers will be "equipped with the latest chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear testing kits." Also, the government is funding CCTV systems on major train stations, and the city of London employs 200 additional officers for the underground.
Australia is also tightening the security on its railroads, and also taking steps to secure the water supply against poisoning.
The 9/11 attacks started a major focus on airline security. Now 3/11 starts a similar rush to secure our trains. In the meantime, the terrorists will probably move on. Wherever there are lots of people, there are targets for murdering terrorist thugs. What is next?
4:44:29 PM
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Mounting unrest in Iran
VodkaPundit has alerted me about underreported news about uprisings in the Iranian town Fereydunkenar, in the north of the country. There's also a link to a site providing pictures from the battlegrounds.
4:29:00 PM
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Alleged al-Qaeda tape claims responsibility for Madrid bombings
Spanish police has found a videotape with a man claiming al-Qaeda has the responsibility for the Madrid bombings.
In the video, a man speaking Arabic with a Moroccan accent says the attacks were revenge for Spain's "collaboration with the criminals Bush and his allies", the government said.
Spanish officials said the man called himself Abu Dujan al-Afgani, but the officials said the name was not known to the intelligence services.
Police found the video following an anonymous tip-off to a Madrid television station.
He mentions Iraq and Afghanistan in particular and says more blood will flow if the injustices do not end.
"You want life and we want death," he said in the tape.
Mounting evidence now suggests Islamic militants were behind the bombings, but it is more than a little strange that a totally unknown man, with a pretty obviously fake name, comes out of nowhere to claim responsibility for the most deadly terrorist attack ever in Europe.
On the day of the Spanish election, there are more questions than answers.
2:16:28 PM
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Evolution and mutations
PZ Myers at Pharyngula has a great rebuttal of a very common but ignorant creationist argument.
Mutations have NEVER produced additional DNA structures.
If somebody you talk to believe that mutations cannot create new DNA structures, new information in our genetic code, have a look at his solid debunking.
4:29:14 AM
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Even false memes spread fast
I receive quite a bit of traffic today from Yahoo! search on "911 days madrid bomb" and similar terms. I earlier pointed out 3/11-04 was 912 days after 9/11-01. I assume if this had been important for the terrorists, they would have attacked the day before.
I doubt, however, that it was a coincidence it occurred two years and six months after the WTS attacks. But date magic has not been a characteristic of al-Qaeda. It would, however, fit domestic terrorists wanting to blame Islamists for political reasons.
3:46:09 AM
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© Copyright 2004 Jan Haugland.
Last update: 01.04.2004; 02:26:43.
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This is my blogchalk:
Norway, Bergen, Norwegian, English, Jan, Male, 31-35.
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