Bombing in Madrid draws strong world condemnation (Ahern) (NYNewsday) -- Irish Media Watch Message Board

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Date Posted: 00:11:40 03/13/04 Sat GMT
Author: Lynn
Subject: Bombing in Madrid draws strong world condemnation (Ahern) (NYNewsday)

Bombing draws strong world condemnation
By The Associated Press
March 11, 2004, 7:06 AM EST

European leaders condemned the bomb attacks which killed at least 131 people in Madrid Thursday as an attack on Spanish democracy.

The rush-hour bombings struck three rail stations in the Spanish capital. Spanish officials blamed the Basque separatist group ETA, but the leader of an outlawed Basque party denied that the organization was involved.

"It is an outrageous, unjustified and unjustifiable attack on the Spanish people and Spanish democracy," European Parliament President Pat Cox said in the legislature in Strasbourg, France.

"There is a general election due in Spain on Sunday. What happened today is a declaration of war on democracy.

"Let Sunday show that Spanish democracy is determined to overcome terrorism," Cox said.

European Commission President Romano Prodi called the attacks "ferocious and senseless"

"This is not a political act, it is criminal act against defenseless people ... a perverse act of terrorists," Prodi said.

In Dublin, Ireland's Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who holds the EU presidency, said in a statement the "timing of the bombings was clearly designed to wreak the greatest level of havoc ... and cannot be justified by any political cause."

"This terrible attack underlines the threat that we all continue to face from terrorism in many countries and why we all must work together internationally to safeguard our peoples against such attacks, and defeat terrorism," British Prime Minister Tony Blair said.

Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi denounced the attacks as "abominable violence that wounds every principle of civil existence" but said they would reinforce Europe's commitment to unite to combat terrorism.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer expressed his horror.

"These despicable terror acts that have claimed so many victims fill us with deep sadness and outrage," Fischer said in Berlin.

In Copenhagen, the Danish government "expressed its deepest sympathy to the victims, their families and to the people of Spain," said Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller, who added "his condemnation of such acts of terror."

French President Jacques Chirac wrote to Spanish Premier Jose Maria Aznar, condemning these "terrible attacks against Madrid's rail network that have plunged Spain into mourning."

"In these horrifying circumstances, I extend in my name and in the name of the French people, my most sincere condolences," Chirac wrote.

Pope John Paul II called the attacks "abominable."

"The Holy Father reiterates his firm and absolute disapproval of such actions that offend God, violate the fundamental right to life and undermine peaceful coexistence," said the message sent from the Vatican to Spanish Church authorities.

NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said: "On behalf of the alliance, I condemn in the strongest possible terms this mindless act of cruelty and barbarism."

Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.

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