TERROR IN MADRID

Fox News (Associated Press) reports that one of the arrested in the Madrid train bombings has ties to a guy who is suspected with helping out in the planning of the September 11 attack.

They have found a video tape message from the terrorists. Here is a quote from the tape: "You love life and we love death."

John Kay, The Sun's Chief reporter, states the following:
"Two al-Qaeda splinter groups claimed they committed the atrocity — Al Muwahidoun, also called the Lions of Al-Mufridoon, and the Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri." Read more about these groups at the World Tribune.com.

The terror threat is coming closer to home. Could Denmark be al-Qaeda's next target? From the Copenhagen Post:

"Danish-Moroccan Said Mansour, who has been linked to the Danish national currently facing a death sentence in Algeria for acts of terrorism, has been sentenced to three months in jail by Copenhagen District Court for unlawful possession of arms, document fraud and dealing in stolen property."

For more on Mansour, read Bjørn Stærk's post, Al-Qaeda is watching.

Related: My post, THE PHILOSOPHY OF DEATH.

UPDATE 03/17/04:

Is the terrorist attack in Madrid a sign that al-Qaeda has "changed its face" or is it that the terrorist network is more of a deadly idea in action, working in autonomous cells without a strict organization? Or could it be the case that al-Qaeda and ETA are working together? Here is an excerpt from Amir Taheri's article, In Spain, ETA and Al Qaida remain objective political allies:

"An ETA delegation has visited Tehran since 1985 to participate in an annual gathering of "anti-imperialist" movements that was held between and February 1 and 11. In 1993 ETA, along with a dozen other western terrorist organisations, had observers in the largest ever gathering of Islamist groups held in Khartoum.

ETA's literature, as disseminated over the past three decades, is replete with expressions of sympathy for various Islamist causes including "wiping Israel off the map" and "driving the American imperialists out of the world."

In exchange, Al Qaida literature has paid tribute to ETA's "heroic struggle" for Basque independence. Ayman Al Zawahiri, the Al Qaida second-in-command, has spoken of his dream of "liberating Andalusia", the part of Spain once ruled by Muslims, presumably letting ETA rule its own neck of the woods in the Basque country."

Read James Woods' post, Al Qaeda's Electoral Message (So Anticipate Their October Surprise).

In the news:
Musharraf: Al-Qaeda targeted me.
US turns on Spanish 'appeasement'.


For more cartoons like this, check out John Cox & Allen Forkum's book, Black & White World.