Train bombs: Ex-PM testifies

2004-11-29 11:57

Madrid - Former prime minister Jose Maria Aznar defended his government's handling of the Madrid train bombings' immediate aftermath as he began keenly awaited testimony on Monday before lawmakers investigating the massacre.

In opening remarks, Aznar said criticism that his government was too quick to blame the armed Basque separatist group ETA for the attack was unfair because even opposition politicians did so even before the government did.

"I have been accused of being eager to blame the massacre on the terrorist gang ETA. If this were the case, one must admit that others beat me to it," Aznar said.

The local government of Spain's northern Basque region also immediately blamed ETA and so did officials of the then-opposition Socialist Party.

Aznar began his address by remembering the 191 people killed in the attack, now thought to have been carried out by Islamic extremists with links to al-Qaeda, and said his government's security forces acted quickly and efficiently after the train bombings and were forthcoming with information as it emerged.

Aznar was called to testify by centre-left parties that allege that his Popular Party underestimated the threat of Islamic terrorism in Spain and misled Spaniards by continuing to blame ETA for the train bombing even after evidence of an Islamic link emerged.

Revenge for Iraq involvement

Critics say the government's primary concern was trying to salvage national elections three days later, amid fears that Islamic involvement in the attacks would be seen as revenge for Aznar's support of the Iraq war in the face of vehement opposition at home.

On Monday, Aznar denied his party lied when it blamed ETA.

"A search has been under way for the smoking gun of the alleged lie of the government I presided over," Aznar said. "After months of investigation, after so many hours of testimony, that evidence has not appeared. We told the truth about what we knew."

Aznar's testimony was expected to focus on what former interior minister Angel Acebes and former foreign minister Ana Palacio have already told the commission: The attack was unpredictable, most assailants and ringleaders are already in jail and the Popular Party never misled voters.

The 16-member commission began hearings last July 6. Its investigation has focused in part on whether the bombings were linked to Aznar's decision to endorse last year's US-led invasion of Iraq.

Despite the war's unpopularity among Spaniards, Aznar sent 1 300 troops to support the military occupation. The Madrid bombings were regarded by many to be retribution for that support, and Aznar's conservative government lost elections to the Socialists days later.

Other goals of the commission were to examine whether the attack could have been prevented and to strengthen defences against another one.

- AP