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Madrid victims criticize schoolyard politics Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=332547 http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=332547 Madrid Bomb Victims Criticize 'Schoolyard Politics' Reuters Dec. 15, 2004 - Victims of the Madrid train bombings issued a stinging rebuke of politicians for seeking to gain from the tragedy that killed 191 people, injecting humility into a previously raucous parliamentary investigation. "This commission should be for all of us but you have appropriated it to play schoolyard politics," Pilar Manjon, whose 21-year-old son died on one of the trains bombed on March 11, told a special parliamentary commission on Wednesday. The commission hopes to discover the truth behind the attacks in which Islamic radicals bombed four packed commuter trains three days before a general election. The televised hearings are separate from a closed-door criminal investigation. The March 11 Victims' Association had to fight to get their leader's appearance on television after the commission voted to close the doors for her own privacy, but the commission relented at the last minute and agreed to make it public. "You (the commission) have focused on what happened between March 11 and March 14. Nothing could be further from the interests of the victims. We know perfectly well what happened. We searched for our dead. We cried for them. We buried them. We cremated them. We said goodbye," Manjon said. Several of the commission members apologized. Fighting back tears, Manjon also reprimanded the media for constantly repeating images of the atrocity on television and in the newspapers. "Stop selling us as a show," said Manjon, whose group represents families of the dead and 1,500 people wounded in the blasts aboard four packed commuter trains. Former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, in power at the time of the attacks, and current Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero each have taken the witness stand for marathon sessions that provoked heated, wide-ranging political debates. The attacks were tinged with politics from the start, with Aznar's conservative government erroneously blaming the bombings on the Basque separatist group ETA in what the Socialists called a deceit motivated by the election campaign. After the Socialists' surprise election win they were accused of appeasing militants by making good on a campaign pledge to withdraw troops from Iraq -- sensitive because the bombers attacked in the name of al Qaeda in revenge for Aznar sending in Spanish troops. All of these issues and more have been rehashed in the commission amid mutual accusations of lying and political back-biting. Copyright 2004 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Copyright © 2004 ABC News Internet Ventures

8m people march [jpg] Accused ringleader of madrid bombing acquitted { September 2007 } American citizen held for link to madrid bombing { May 6 2004 } Anzar sowing confusion over madrid bombs { December 14 2004 } Attacks 911 days after sept 11 01 { March 13 2004 } Aznar stands behind ETA link to madrid bombing Bomb case against oregon lawyer dropped { May 25 2004 } British links of bombing suspect Conflicting clues in bloody madrid bombings { March 12 2004 } Death toll in madrid bombings rises to 198 { March 12 2004 } Detonators mobile phones not common to eta { March 12 2004 } Eta blamed from madrid blasts Eta denies role in madrid bombings { March 12 2004 } Eu calls emergency meetings on terrorism Eurostocks sink 3 percent on madrid blasts Five december explosions near madrid after eta warning Flawed FBI 311 probe used secret warrant { April 7 2005 } France increases border checks after spanish blasts { March 11 2004 } Group claiming blast may not exist Italy arrests egyptian bombing mastermind Italy hands over madrid suspect Madrdid train blasts kill at least 131 { March 11 2004 } Madrid plot funded by drugs Madrid suspects blow selves up Madrid victims criticize schoolyard politics Misidentified muslim detained for bombings compensated Moraccan arrested in madrid has suspected alqaida ties { March 14 2004 } Moroccan and indian accused deny madrid involvement New madrid government to accelerate eu { March 16 2004 } Officials still divided on whom to blame for bombings { March 13 2004 } Police let bombers go on traffic stop Portland attorney house searched without notice { May 25 2004 } Protesters blame bombings government support of war Responsbility by group who claimed eastcoast blackout Socialists oust spains ruling party { March 15 2004 } Spain announces five arrests in bombings Spain arrests 13 suspects in 311 probe Spain arrests 20 alleged islamist militants { December 2005 } Spain bombings seen as europes 911 { March 12 2004 } Spain maintains eta bomb suspect a day before elections Spain unable to identify man on alqaida tape Spain wants maximum power in eu says zapatero Spais new leader says troops will leave iraq Spanish bomb victims call for independent investigation Spanish had prior knowledge of attack String of explosions kills170 in spanish train system { March 11 2004 } Suspects worked for spanish police { April 29 2004 } Top 911 madrid suspect abu qatada under british protection Two suspected eta members arrested last month with explosives { March 12 2004 } Was it eta or alqaeda { March 12 2004 } Files Listed: 50

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