ETA Blammed For Bomb in Madrid

It hasn’t taken a long time for Basque seperatists ETA to respond to the banning of two pro-independence Basque parties. After the Spanish Supreme Court banned Askatasuna and Democracia 3 Millones (Democracy Three Million) from the regional elections on March 1, terrorist group ETA filled a van with explosives and blew it up in northern Madrid last Monday around 9 a.m. local time.

The blast left a one meter deep crater, damaged vehicles and windows but there have been no reports of any major injuries. Surprisingly, earlier that morning The Red Cross received a warning call at 7:37 a.m. and in the name of ETA telling the whereabouts of the bomb and around what time it would go off. It is important to add that because of this warning a number of people could have been saved by this call. ETA still is responsible for these violent acts but it almost seems that they are trying to make some attempt to gaining secession without killing. Or maybe it was just luck that no one died, this attack almost falls on the exact date four years ago on February 4, 2005 when numerous people were injured after ETA put a bomb in the same neighborhood that was hit last Monday.

This neighborhood is also home to the Spanish construction firm Ferrovial, the owners of BAA and also responsible for building a high-speed train link in the Basque region that connects it with the rest of Spain and France. The bomb went off near Ferrovial’s buildings and was an attempt to frighten them as well as letting the supreme court know that ETA is not happy with the banning of Askatasuna and Democracia 3 Millones. It looks likes ETA was very serious when then vowed to keep fighting after the group’s 50th anniversary celebrated on January 30. But it also seems that the Spanish government isn’t ready to give in either, Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said, "What ETA did this morning ratifies the Supreme Court decision last night". With both sides not willing to give in it could mean a dangerous future for the people of Spain. ETA has already been blamed for 825 deaths in its 50 year campagin and who knows how high that number will go up in the next few months.

And to really show how unhappy the Basque people are, yesterday five were arrested in Bilbao where police dealt with people blocking roads and starting fires in protest of the two parties being banned.