 (AKI) - In a surprise move, some of the main defendants in the maxi-trial for the 2004 Madrid train bombings began a hunger strike on Thursday. According to various Spanish websites Youssef Belhadj, Hassan el Haski, Rabei Osman el Sayed (known as Mohammed the Egyptian, arrested in Italy in June 2004) and Abdeljamid Bouchard announced their decision in letters sent to the prison authorities. The first three are considered the "brains" behind the 11 March, 2004 attack in which 191 people were killed. The prosecution says the fourth, Abdeljamid Bouchard, was one of those who physically carried out the bombings.
The hunger strikers argue that the accusations against them are unjust and during Thursday's hearing some defendants managed to show two protest placards to the television cameras. They say their situation is unbearable.
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The strike acquires additional weight in Spain because it comes after a controversy that has far from died down. In March the convicted terrorist of ETA, Iñaki De Juana Chaos was granted house arrest after a 100 day hunger strike. He was transfered from a Madrid hospital to the Basque country for what the Zapatero government referred to as "humanitarian reasons". Several days ago, De Juana Chaos - now completely recovered - was photographed while he was strolling with his girlfriend and the controversy re-exploded amid criticism of the government of being 'soft' on convicted ETA terrorists.
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