WASHINGTON, March 11: US intelligence agencies believe it is too early to conclude who was behind the explosions in Madrid, but see the attack as bearing hallmarks of both the Basque separatist group ETA and the Al Qaeda network
, a US official said on Thursday.
But a State Departmet official said he had no lead other than the ETA in the deadly strikes. "I'm not aware of any other information other than the information that Spain's been uncovering and providing about ETA's responsibility," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.
However, an intelligence official said "It's going to be muddy for a while until the Spanish authorities get in there and start doing some forensics," the official said.
"There are characteristics of each," the official said, referring to ETA and the Al Qaeda. "You have multiple attacks, multiple explosions in different locations in a short period of time which is very Al Qaeda-ish," the official said. Al Qaeda has been blamed for bombing attacks on Western interests, including the Sept 11, 2001, hijacked plane attacks in America.
"But ETA has long threatened tourists and commuters and they have attacked trains in the past, they have attacked rail stations in the past. They usually warn people in advance and that may not be the case here," the official said.
The ETA usually targets Spanish government officials in its quest for a separate homeland, but also has warned that it would attack tourist sites in Spain, the official said.
Some of the still unanswered questions that could help determine who was responsible included whether suicide bombers were involved - they are used by Al Qaeda but not ETA. Or whether the bombs were placed on the trains.
STATE DEPARTMENT: Asked about the idea that the Al Qaeda network might be involved, Mr Boucher said: "I'm not aware of anything like that at this point."
And questioned as to whether Spain might have been targeted for its support of the invasion of Iraq, Mr Boucher said: "I don't know why anybody would jump to that kind of conclusion."
President George Bush said he had spoken with Spain's King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar to express support after the bomb blasts. "I told them we weep with the families, we stand strongly with the people of Spain," Bush said.
"I appreciate so very much the Spanish government's fight against terror, their resolute stand against terrorist organizations like the ETA. The United States stands with them."
POWELL: Secretary of State Colin Powell condemned the Basque group as he also expressed solidarity with one of the key US allies in Europe. "The United States stands resolutely with Spain in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and against the particular threat that Spain faces from the evil of ETA terrorism," the secretary of state said in a statement.
"No political pretext can justify this premeditated murder of the innocent. We will assist the Spanish government in any way we can to find those responsible for these heinous acts and bring them to certain justice," Mr Powell said.
"The United States vehemently condemns the outrageous and appalling terrorist attacks that took place in Madrid today. I offer deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the people of Spain," he added. - AFP
