Madrid 'blueprint': a dodgy document by Brendan O'Neilly

[Dirk39]

"'Madrid attacks worked exactly as planned.' So said a headline on Intelwire, a website devoted to terrorism-related news, following CNN's shock revelation on 16 March 2004 that it was in possession of an alleged al-Qaeda document outlining the reasoning behind the bombings in Madrid. CNN reported that the document, written before the killing of 190 people by rucksack bombs in Madrid on 11 March, described Spain as the 'weakest link' in the coalition in Iraq, and set out an explicit ploy to 'topple pro-US government' through force.



The 42-page document, written in Arabic, presents itself as advice and guidance for jihadists and recommends 'painful strikes' against the Spanish. It was first published on radical Islamist websites, some of which are allegedly used by al-Qaeda sympathisers and supporters, at the end of 2003. With post-Madrid hindsight, some of its paragraphs certainly make for ominous reading. One says: 'We think the Spanish government will not stand more than two blows, or three at the most, before it will be forced to withdraw because of public pressure on it. If its forces remain after these blows, the victory of the Socialist Party will be almost guaranteed - and the withdrawal of Spanish forces will be on its campaign manifesto.' (1)

Unveiling the document to the world on 16 March CNN declared, 'That prediction came to fruition in elections', when Jose Maria Aznar's pro-war Popular Party was ousted three days after the attacks and the sceptical-about-war Socialists took office (2). CNN says the document proves that al-Qaeda 'planned to separate Spain from its allies by carrying out terror attacks' (3). Intelwire put it more plainly: 'The al-Qaeda document reveals that the terror group specifically targeted regime change in Spain, with an eye towards a Socialist Party victory and the withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq.' (4)

Many in media and political circles have latched on to the document as hard evidence that it was al-Qaeda operatives who bombed Madrid, and that they did so with the express intention of unseating the Bush-friendly government. 'In hindsight, the document looks like a blueprint', said New Zealand's National Business Review (5). 'The document shows how al-Qaeda planned months ago to get rid of Spain's pro-US government, and force them to withdraw troops from Iraq', declared another report (6). Referring to the document's claim that Spain could not 'stand more than two blows, or three at the most', British journalist in Washington Andrew Sullivan wrote: 'How modest in retrospect their ambitions were! They didn't need more than one blow; and they didn't just get the troop withdrawal in the Socialist manifesto - they got the Socialists elected.' (7)"

More: http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CA4A9.htm

Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[On the Road]

1. When You Say 'Dodgy',

do you mean that you believe it's a fake?

Just wondering -- I have no clue one way or another.

[Dirk39]

2. I didn't write the article,

but please read it! What the media have reported about that document is definitely misleading and it is in no way a prove that Al-Quaida is claiming responsible for the attacks or have announced them. The most ugly thing is to suppose, Al-Quaida wanted the socialists to win the election, what we could read and hear again and again and again...
Dirk

[On the Road]

3. I See What You Mean, Dirk

Sorry, I hadn't read the article when I wrote that, or notice that 'dodgy' was their terminology.

Sounds like someone on a DU- or FR-like website for radical Islamicists made comments about attacking Spanish soldiers in Iraq. If it was really from the Al-Qaida organization, why would be posted on a website?

The strained exegesis of the Bush people is exceeded only by the media.

The message board referred to, Global Islamic Media, is the name of a Yahoo Finance discussion board. I can't read it, because it's in Arabic, but here's the link:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalislamicmedia/

Looks like there was a group by the same name on Yahoo's regular boards, but which was terminated -- only the archives are available. Maybe they canned because of posts like the one on Spain, and switched to a stock board with less oversight.