Spain Ignored Terror Attack Warning - Report

[Kellanved]

Spanish intelligence agents warned police last November that an Algerian now identified as a ringleader of the Madrid train bombings was preparing an attack, a newspaper claimed today.

The agents asked the Interior Ministry for urgent help in locating the suspect, Allekema Lamari, who had served jail time in Spain on terrorism charges and was considered dangerous. But the ministry did not heed the warning, El Pais said.

The newspaper quoted sources close to Spain’s National Intelligence Centre.
...
El Pais said that on March 6, five days before the Madrid train bombings, the intelligence centre issued a report to the then-conservative government warning that Lamari had vanished from Lavapies, a Madrid neighbourhood with a large Muslim population.
...


http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3640862

[WMliberal]

1. affirmation for the spanish electorate

The ruling party was not only misguided in its participation in Iraq, but as inept as our own in efforts to thwart attacks and heed warnings.

[aquart]

2. Just like Bush. And they were voted OUT.

[ibegurpard]

3. Hmmm...this sounds like an appetizer

for a nice meal of "take this next terrorism warning SERIOUSLY."
Which could very conveniently happen within the next few weeks.

[Dogmudgeon]

4. They were too focused on ETA

Sr. Aznar was so caught up in his personal battle with ETA that he paid scant attention to militant jihadists. And the cost of his ignorance was paid in blood.

ETA is falling apart as Basque political activism has become more effective. Aznar never saw that, so he turned himself into a petty tyrant in Spain and a blind eye toward al-Qaeda and similar groups.

Sadly, our own Fearless Leader's myopia is similar: focus on Saddam, forget al-Qaeda. Only Iraq is 15 times a big as Basque Country and much more violent; meanwhile, al-Q is regrouping, rearming and retrenching.

And again, the cost of ignorance is paid in the blood of others.

--bkl

[madrchsod]

5. the french also warned them

because they were picking up reports on planned attacks on their rail system...