The London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi said Thursday it had received a claim of responsibility issued by The Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri in the name of Al-Qaida for the Madrid terrorist attacks that killed at least 190 people and wounded 1,247. The claim received by email at the paper’s London offices said the brigade’s "death squad" had penetrated "one of the pillars of the crusade alliance, Spain."
"This is part of settling old accounts with Spain, the crusader, and America’s ally in its war against Islam," the claim said. Referring to Spain’s Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, the statement asked: "Aznar, where is America? Who will protect you, Britain, Japan, Italy and others from us?" Earlier Thursday evening, police probing the attacks found a van with detonators and an Arabic-language tape with Koranic verses, and officials don’t rule out any line of investigation, said Interior Minister Angel Acebes. The van was found in the town of Alcala de Henares outside Madrid following a tip from neighbors. On the front seat police found seven detonators and the tape, Acebes told a news conference. "Because of this, I have just given instructions to the security forces not to rule out any line of investigation," Acebes said. He said the armed Basque group ETA remained the "main line of investigation" in the deadly blasts. Three of the four trains bombed Thursday originated in Alcala de Henares and one passed through it, the state rail company RENFE said. |