Incident Summary:
03/11/2004: Police carried out a controlled explosion of a bomb found in a backpack at El Pozo train station in Madrid, Spain. Authorities believed that the bomb was to be a part of a series of explosions on trains on Madrid's commuter line during the morning rush hour, which collectively killed 191 people and wounded more than 1800 others. Police initially accused the Basque separatist group Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA) of the attacks, which occurred three days before Spain's general election, but Islamic extremists were soon found to be the perpetrators. Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, a group said to be associated with Al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that it was retribution for Spain's cooperation with the United States in the Iraq War. In October 2007, twenty-one suspects were convicted and seven others were acquitted of charges related to the attacks. In July 2008, four of the convictions and one of the acquittals were reversed. Court proceedings indicate that Islamist extremists coordinated by Al-Qaida were responsible for the attacks, but it is unclear if the claim of responsibility from Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades is valid.
Overview
GTD ID:
200403110006
When:
2004-03-11
Country:
Spain
Region:
Western Europe
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Madrid
City:
Madrid
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
No |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Transportation |
Name of Entity |
Civilians |
Specific Description |
Indiscriminate civilians on commuter trains in Madrid, Spain. |
Nationality of Target |
Spain |
Target Type: Transportation |
Name of Entity |
Commuter Rail System |
Specific Description |
Commuter trains in Madrid, Spain |
Nationality of Target |
Spain |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
No |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Dynamite/TNT |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | Yes |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
This was one of six related attacks (cf. 20040311001; 20040311003-07). After the attacks, police discovered a stolen van containing seven detonators and an Arabic language tape near the Atocha station. London-based newspaper Al-Qods al-Arabi received an email claiming responsibility from Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades on the day of the attack and a videotape found at a mosque in Madrid two days later also claimed responsibility by that group. On April 3, 2004, seven key suspects committed suicide during a police raid on their Madrid apartment; among of whom was Jamal Ahmidan, a Moroccan believed to have been the central figure in the financing, planning and execution of the attacks. According to the Associated Press, it cost the perpetrators $120,000 to carry out the attacks, ranging from the cost of buying explosives to renting safe-houses. Of the 29 charged, three men were charged with murder: Jamal Zougam, a Moroccan merchant who allegedly supplied the cell phones used as detonators; Emilio Suarez Trashorras, a Spaniard accused of supplying the dynamite; and Abdelmajid Bouchar, a Moroccan. Rabei Osman, an Egyptian who claimed that the attacks were his idea, is among three other men accused of conspiracy to commit murder. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Al-Qaida (suspected) |
Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: E-mail) |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
18 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
“After Blasts, Panicked Passengers Ran Everywhere, Including Darkened Tunnels,” USA Today Online, March 12, 2004. |
"Madrid Attacks Timeline," BBC Online, March 12, 2004. |
Gabriela Calotti, “Rush Hours Blasts Kill 173, Injure 600 in Madrid Days Before Elections,” Agence France Presse, March 11, 2004. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties