ETA remains prime suspect
Contrary to earlier reports, the explosives used in the Madrid attacks were Spanish and the same used by ETA earlier.
Authorities said they found and safely detonated three more bombs, apparently set on timers to explode later, when rescuers and security forces were on the scene.
The explosive used came from inside Spain and is similar to explosives used in previous attacks by ETA, according to Glenn Schoen, a security analyst who has seen the latest police analysis.
On the other hand, the copper detonators used in the backpack bombs were more sophisticated than the aluminum detonators previously used in bombs linked to ETA, said Schoen, who has worked with Spanish police on train security.
The preliminary analysis determined the explosive is a type of dynamite called ECO, manufactured in Spain and normally used in construction and mining, Schoen said.
Schoen -- director of analytical services at TranSecur in Washington -- was in Madrid last week inspecting railroad facilities as part of his work with Spanish police.
It is interesting to note that most in Spain, and in the US, are more likely to blame the ETA, while in the rest of Europe the press clearly emphasises the Al-Qaeda links. This is understandable in one way: if it is ETA this terrorist attack, horrible as it is, will be primarily a Spanish problem. If it is al-Qaeda, it shows that Europe is not as well protected against Islamic terrorism as we had hoped.
There is a more cynical explanation, too. Remember Spain is voting tomorrow, and the terrorist attack was timed to interfere with it. If ETA is blamed, it will probably strengthen the center-right Popular Party currently in power, lead by outgoing Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and his handpicked successor Mariano Rajoy. If it is al-Qaeda, on the other hand, it is believed that many will blame the government for having brought this on Spain by supporting the US-lead coalition that removed Saddam Hussein from power. The belief that doing what the terrorists want will appease them to leave you alone, while demonstrably wrong, is still strong in Europe. Few things will please the leftist press more than seing Aznar's Popular Party punished for the Iraq war in tomorrow's Spanish election.
Update: The Spanish may be united against the terrorists, but the struggle to score political points from the blasts started before the smoke fromt he explosions had dissolved. Again, read Iberian Notes to keep up with the local debate if you, like me, don't read Spanish. Here, quoting and translating commentator Jordi Barbeta:
The Government insisted all day that the suspicion that ETA is behind the attentat is still the most viable, while several opposition parties and also the Basque regional government insinuated that the government was hiding information that would support the hypothesis of an Al Qaeda attack as a reprisal for Spain's support for the war in Iraq.
Also, here, pointing out that the socialist opposition desperately wants this to be an al-Qaeda operation to be able to score some political points. The communists, true to their ideals or lack thereof, worked hard to make the anti-terrorism march divisive by bringing paraphernalia from their anti-war marches. 'Indeed, if Spain had only appeased the terrorists, none of this would have happened.' I hope and believe Spain's voters see through such despiceful tactics and cowardice.
Update 2: Now, doesn't this mean the ETA would benefit from the blasts politically only if they were able to blame al-Qaeda for the carnage? And ETA has, somewhat uncharacteristically, denied all involvment. Also, al-Qaeda would actually benefit, bringing down a pro-American government, by taking responsibility for the terror even if they had nothing to do with it.
All ETA had to do was to leave a Koran tape in the vehicle used to trigger the blasts... Now wait a minute!
1:54:57 PM 
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