Israel offers Spain help; forensic team on standby

[JohnLocke]

Israel offers Spain help; forensic team on standby
by Yaakov Katz -- Jerusalem Post
Thursday, March 11, 2004
--
An Israeli forensic team was on standby to travel to Madrid Thursday night following a formal request by Spanish rescue services to the Israeli Embassy for help in identifying the dead.
(...)
Jacky Levy, spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Madrid, told The Jerusalem Post that it appeared that there were no Israeli casualties and that Spanish forensic experts had requested assistance from their Israeli counterparts.
"A Madrid forensic team could not hold up under the workload, and they contacted the embassy, which put them in touch with the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir," Levy said. "As of now it does not appear that an Israeli forensic delegation will be traveling to Spain, but all the Spanish have to do is ask us to send them."
(...)
"We have acquired much experience due to our history of terror attacks, and I felt that it was only right to help our Spanish counterparts," Hiss said.
(...)
"Unfortunately, Israel leads the list of countries with experience in this field," he said. "I myself have had considerable experience in classifying body parts after terror attacks." Nachman, who is originally from Argentina, specializes in forensic pathology.
(...)
"We are with you in these unbearably difficult moments," he said. "Such acts of terror will only increase our determination to cooperate and promote the joint aim of our two organizations – protecting human life and saving people everywhere and at all times."
(...)
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom phoned his Spanish counterpart, Anna Palacio, and conveyed Israel's "deep shock" at the attacks. He also expressed his own sadness and shock at the pictures from the scene.
Shalom said the world's democratic nations must stand firm, cooperate, and work together with patience and determination to fight terror. He emphasized that terrorism is an enemy of the entire community of nations and that Israel stands with Spain and the international community in the war against it.
(...)
--
Read the rest here.

[stepnw1f]

1. Israel Is Really

in deep enough crap.

[stopthegop]

2. and they still offer to help..

as in the earthquake in Iran...tells you something about the Israeli culture/mindset...

[drdon326]

3. Hmmmm....

Lets review..

Isreal helps Turkey during 2 devastating earthquakes sending
money,equipment and rescue/dog squads.

Israel offers to help Iran during its devastating earthquake
and gets the finger.

Israel offers to help Spain from a brazen,inhuman terrorist
attack.

Now...someone help me out...Has any other country in the ME
done or offered more??


btw...on cnn now...3 israeli forensic md's arrive tomorrow
in madrid.

[stopthegop]

4. other ME nation helping??? hmm

nope..not that I've heard...

[drdon326]

8. Neither have I....

I'm sure there will be a UN resolution condemning
Israel for showing how pathetic the rest of the ME
looks at helping other countries during tragedies.

And just wait till the ICJ gets hold of this.....

[Gimel]

16. An expertize

has developed because of the "crap". Sharing this experience can only help, not hinder. Al Qaeida can't penetrate Israeli security, otherwise it would have by now.

[_Jumper_]

5. How will the PA react to this?

If the ETA is responsible, will they celebrate it as an act of "resistance" by "freedom fighters"?

[drdon326]

6. Nope...

they'll blame Israel......why break a time tested lie??

[_Jumper_]

7. That would be funny...

...if there wasn't so much truth in it. :(

[drdon326]

9. John....this quotes for you....

"Watching the coverage of the Madrid bombings is an extraordinary experience. No talk of a "cycle of violence", no moaning about the "suffering" of the Basque people and their "legitimate greivances", no blubbering about the possible civilian casualties of a Spanish retaliation, no euphemisms like "militant", even the UN making a clear and unambiguaous statement of condemnation and sympathy. Compare it to the reactions to terrorist attacks in Israel and one can only conclude one thing: in the eyes of the "international community", such as it is, Jewish blood is considered a very great deal cheaper then the Spanish variety."


http://www.gefen.blogspot.com/

..................................................................

wow

[JohnLocke]

10. Wow indeed...

O'd put that in my signature line, if that was allowed. :)

Thanks for getting the quote. Means a lot. :yourock:

Edit: spelling.

[bemildred]

11. Maybe ..

There is no "cycle of violence" in Spain,
The Basque people are not suffering,
and there will be no Spanish retaliation,
and so there is no need to mention those
things. Spain is doing it's best to treat
the Basque well within the context of the
present Spanish constitution, and it is not
indulging in collective punishment, as is
occuring in the Palestinian occupied territories,
so the situations are not in fact comparable.

[drdon326]

12. Nope....

totally comparable... the Basque have always demanded their
own country, have engaged in brutal terrorism,and Spain has
always responded to these attacks with finding and killing
the people who commit these attacks.

But why bother with annoying things like facts.

Certainly the UN DOESN'T.

[bemildred]

13. Actually not.

The Basque have been satisfied a number of times, it was
Franco's repression after the Civil War that lead to the
current situation, although they have always wanted autonomy.

It is true that the ETA has engaged in brutal terrorism, although
hardly on the scale of that has occurred in Palestine; but in
any case it seems unlikely this is and ETA sponsored event, so
the entire comparison is bogus on that account alone.

Finally, Spain has been much more restrained in it's response to
ETA activities, no collective punishment, no bombings in Basque
areas, etc. etc. and the Basque enjoy full citizenship rights in
Spain.

[drdon326]

14. Well....you're making progress...

"It is true that the ETA has engaged in brutal terrorism, although
hardly on the scale of that has occurred in Palestine"


You're right...It is hard to compare any world-wide terrorism
on the scale committed by the palestinian terrorists....those
busses and pizzerias make great targets.

[Proudlib]

15. Unlike The Government Of Iran...

Which would have just as soon let it's people die under rubble than have an Israeli rescue them, Spain does not turn away aide from experts who can help.

[bemildred]

17. Yes, I was surprised you didn't make that distinction yourself.

But I am pleased to have been able to do it for you.

[cantwealljustgetalong]

22. World leaders condemn Madrid blasts, urge joint fight against terrorism...

"Today we stand together with all people of Europe in sorrow, but also with resolve to stop these crimes against humanity," Ambassador Rockwell Schnabel.
Members of the European parliament in Strasbourg observed a minute's silence as a mark of respect for victims of what the chamber's Irish president Pat Cox described as "a declaration of war on democracy."

...

In a message of support and condolences to Aznar after the morning rush hour bombings in which some 600 people were injured, President Jacques Chirac of France said "these irresponsible acts, which can have no justification, are from every standpoint to be condemned."

...

British Prime Minster Tony Blair said the 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."

...

The Palestinian Authority also swiftly condemned the attacks for "targeting innocent civilians in Madrid," and sent condolences to the Spanish government and people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a message to Spain's King Juan Carlos, said "this senseless, barbaric act once again showed that the international community must take even more resolute steps in the fight against international terrorism."
The Nobel-prize-winning writer Jose Saramago said he hoped "hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people" would take to the streets to protest against the bombings and predicted a mass turnout of voters in Sunday's election.
"It is the most cowardly attack imaginable because it struck at working people who get up at five or six in the morning to go to work, people who have no bodyguards," he told the private television channel Sic Noticias in Lisbon.

...

In Brussels, where flags were lowered to half mast at the European Commission headquarters, the commission president, Romano Prodi, described the explosions as a "bloody, ferocious and senseless attack."
"There is no justification whatsoever behind which the authors of this bestial crime can hide," he said, condemning "this criminal act against defenceless people, which was totally abhorrent and senseless."
From the Vatican, Pope John Paul II sent a message of condolence to the Catholic church in Spain, describing the explosions as "detestable attacks" and an "offense to God."
Ireland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said there could be "no excuse, no justification" for the explosions.
Horror and revulsion are the words that come to mind," said Foreign Minister Brian Cowen.
Similar expressions of condemnation came from almost every other of the 15 current members of the EU and the 10 states due to join the bloc in May.
The United Nations also condemned the attacks as "monstrous and unconscionable," in the words of its acting High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Bertrand Ramcharan.

...

NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer condemned the blasts as a "mindless act of cruelty and barbarism."

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/74999/1/.html

[Muddleoftheroad]

26. What that means

Is that they all want to fight terrorists except the ones who attack Israel.

[cantwealljustgetalong]

27. those terrorists are glorified because they are tres chic...

[drdon326]

28. From my post #9

"Watching the coverage of the Madrid bombings is an extraordinary experience. No talk of a "cycle of violence", no moaning about the "suffering" of the Basque people and their "legitimate greivances", no blubbering about the possible civilian casualties of a Spanish retaliation, no euphemisms like "militant", even the UN making a clear and unambiguaous statement of condemnation and sympathy. Compare it to the reactions to terrorist attacks in Israel and one can only conclude one thing: in the eyes of the "international community", such as it is, Jewish blood is considered a very great deal cheaper then the Spanish variety."

=================================================================

yes....tres chic.

[drdon326]

18. Al-Qaida claims responsibility for Madrid train attack

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1078979351823

"This is part of settling old accounts with Spain, the crusader, and America's ally in its war against Islam," says a claim received by the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper, which said it received the message from The Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri in the name of al-Qaida.

The claim received by email at the paper's London offices said the brigade's "death squad" had penetrated "one of the pillars of the crusade alliance, Spain."

Referring to Spain's Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, the statement asked: "Aznar, where is America? Who will protect you, Britain, Japan, Italy and others from us?"

The newspaper faxed the claim to The Associated Press office in Cairo.

The message referred to last year's attack on Italian paramilitary police serving in the US-led coalition in Iraq.

"When we attacked the Italian troops in Nassiriyah and sent you and America's agents an ultimatum to withdraw from the anti-Islam alliance, you did not understand the message. Now we have made it clear and hope that this time you will understand," the statement said.

"We, at the Abu Hafs brigades, have not felt sad for the so-called civilians," said the statement, in an apparent reference to the hundreds of casualties in Thursday's attacks in Madrid.

======================================================================



"We, at the Abu Hafs brigades, have not felt sad for the so-called civilians,"..............no shit sherlock

[bemildred]

19. Lions Of Al-Mufridoon Claim Madrid Bombing

Popped up early yesterday.
...

JUS has learned the Lions of al-Mufridoon has claimed of responsibility for the attack. Previously unknown,
the group is said to be made up of Morrocan, Algerian, and Tunisian operatives, with suspected links to
Al-Qaida.

Spain has been warned of their involvement with the "Crusader" army of George Bush and Tony Blair in
previous Al-Qaida statements and more recently in both the last statements issued by Osama bin Laden and
Dr. Aymen Al-Zawhari, which followed the attack on the Spanish embassy in Iraq.

...

jihadunspun

[drdon326]

20. Yeah...I'm a reeeeeal big fan of Jihad-Unspun too....

No matter...at least the UN making a clear and unambiguaous statement of condemnation and sympathy.....

soooooooooo reassuring.... couldn't decry THAT terrorist act
fast enough for Kofi.

[bemildred]

21. Not mine, some other guy dug it up in the first LBN thread

on the bombing. I thought it was of interest because it popped
up so early and they seem to have the facts straight already.

[JohnLocke]

24. Don...

Here's a great parody site... http://www.geocities.com/jihad_unspun/

[Zomby Woof]

23. a kick for solidarity with the people of Spain

[drdon326]

25. a double kick for solidarity with the people of Spain

fwiw....current death toll is sadly at 200.

unbelieveably sad.

[cantwealljustgetalong]

29. this sounds very familiar...

"There were pieces of flesh and ribs all over the road," said. "There were ribs, brains all over. I never saw anything like this. The train was blown apart. I saw a lot of smoke, people running all over, crying. I saw part of a hand up to the elbow and a body without a head face down on the ground. Flesh all over. I started to cry from nerves. There was a 3-year-old boy all burnt and a father was holding him in his arms, crying."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/11/international/europe/11CND-TRAI.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=

[drdon326]

30. Article: Spain's spies see Muslims behind attack-radio

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=475303§ion=news

Spain's intelligence service is "99 percent certain" that radical Muslims and not the Basque separatist group ETA are responsible for the train bombings that killed 200 people, a Spanish radio station has reported.

Private radio SER, whose owners have links to the opposition Socialist Party, said the National Intelligence Centre (CNI) believes the evidence points to an Islamic group, and that 10 to 15 people left bombs on the trains and fled, the radio said on Saturday.

.............................................................

unbelievable

[Darranar]

32. So, has the government finally acknowledged this?

Or are they still blaming the ETA?

[drdon326]

31. Spain arrests 5 in terror bombings

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/03/13/spain.blasts/index.html

MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Spanish authorities investigating the Madrid terror attacks arrested five people on Saturday who they say are linked to a telephone card found with an undetonated bomb, the Spanish interior minister said.

A backpack containing the phone card and bomb was found on a train after Thursday's bombing attacks on commuter train stations in Madrid. Those 10 attacks killed 200 people and wounded more than 1,500, Interior Minister Ángel Acebes said.

Police detonated the bomb in a controlled explosion.

Three of those arrested were Moroccans, Acebes said, and two were Indian.

The backpack also held the explosive ECO; metal pieces intended to multiply a bomb's destructive effect, a detonator and a mobile telephone, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported.

snip

The demonstrators accuse the Popular Party of covering up evidence linking Islamic extremists, possibly even al Qaeda, to the attacks.

=====================================================================

Welcome to Jihadofascism 101....check you pre-conceived notions

at the door.

[Gimel]

33. In the end

they didn't go after all. They were dis-invited. Said that they weren't needed.

[drdon326]

34. Tape Claims al-Qaida Tied to Spain Blasts

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=716&e=1&u=/ap/20040314/ap_on_re_eu/spain_al_qaida

Spain's interior minister said Sunday a videotape has been discovered claiming al-Qaida carried out the Madrid terrorist attacks and threatening more, but that he could not verify the veracity of the claim. Earlier, Spain arrested three Moroccans and two Indians in connection with the attacks Thursday that killed 200 people and wounded 1,500.

Interior Minister Angel Acebes said a man identifying himself as the military spokesman of al-Qaida in Europe claimed the group was responsible for the bombings.

"We declare our responsibility for what happened in Madrid exactly 2 1/2 years after the attacks on New York and Washington," said the man, according to a government translation of the tape, which was recorded in Arabic. "It is a response to your collaboration with the criminals Bush and his allies."


Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has been a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led war in Iraq (news - web sites).


A London-based Arabic newspaper had earlier received a claim of responsibility in al-Qaida's name; but the government has been reluctant to blame the Islamic group, saying the Basque separatist group ETA was also a suspect. ETA denied responsibility.


Speaking at a hastily called post-midnight news conference at the interior ministry, Acebes said authorities could not confirm the claim was genuine. He said the videotape was discovered after an Arabic-speaking man called a Madrid TV station and said where it could be found.


A statement from the ministry said the speaker was identified as Abu Dujan al Afghani. Acebes said the man was not known to law enforcement authorities in Spain, and that they were checking the tape's authenticity.


The man threatened further attacks in the video.


"This is a response to the crimes that you caused in the world, and specifically in Iraq and Afghanistan (news - web sites), and there will be more if God wills it," the man said, according to the Spanish government's translation.

===============================================================

hmmmmm......