Spain's intelligence chief said in an interview published Sunday that this month's terrorist attacks in London differed from last year's Madrid train bombings in their apparent coordination. Alberto Saiz, the director of the National Intelligence Center, told the daily El Pais that similarities between the attacks were limited to "their outward appearance" and targeting of transport networks. "At that point, the differences start," Saiz was quoted as saying. The July 7 group of London bombers was "small, just four people — less visible than the Madrid one."
| Two cells so far, with a third supposed to be in the works. That makes nine and probably another five or six if the current report is accurate. Besides the cannon fodder, there's going to be a support network, and we've seen that the lines extend back to Pakistan for the training and probably the logistics. And Osman made a call to Soddy Arabia just before the operation. So, yeah, there are differences, but I think they're going to turn out to be superficial. |
"Two weeks later, they try a second episode of the same attack — obviously, the perpetrators are not the same," Saiz said.
| The perpetrators in the first attack were burned — they couldn't be used again. The interesting part will come when they trace the support network. Since the explosives were the same flavor, I'm guessing it's the same support network... |
"In contrast to Madrid, this gives us the feeling that they are coordinated with other groups or have direction from above — and that there is a plan," he added. "This is not an isolated group that decides to act on its own account — the decision comes from above."
| And that didn't apply to Madrid? What'd I miss there? |
The March, 2004 bombings of commuter trains in Madrid killed 191 people and injured more than 1,500. The July 7 suicide bombings in London killed 52 people on three subway trains and a bus; the botched bombing attempts on similar targets July 21 rattled Londoners' nerves but took no lives. The Madrid attacks "surprised us all in terms of their form," Saiz told El Pais. The people behind them "formed a local group, with no apparent connection to the leadership of al-Qaida, at least no direct connection."
| Control and support came from Morocco, rather than from Pakistan. |
"There was, as far as we know, no chief of operations who said to a terrorist: `come to Madrid and carry out an attack.'"
| Somebody said "We're here in Madrid and we're ready. Got any good ideas?" |
Saiz said Spanish authorities have had a "constant exchange of information" with their British counterparts over recent weeks. "A number of lines of investigation have been opened and closed in Spain, always at British request," he said. |