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Thought I'd share some of the comments of a friend in Madrid who's emailed me yesterday and today. I'm translating from the Spanish, so some of this might not sound smooth.
Yesterday:
A few lines to tell you we're all okay.
As you will know, this morning there was a terrible terrorist attack in Madrid. At 1 p.m. there are 131 dead. We are all very affected by the extent of it and by the proximity.
(Daughter) used to take a similar train at the Atocha station (one of the affected stations) every morning to go to the university, but lately she has been taking the bus.
Poor families! Damned murderers. The victims come from among the humblest levels of society who live in the south of Madrid or in the Henares corridor, and during a rush hour.
Today, excerpted:
(Begins saying news developing rapidly, everything is confused, now al-Qaida is said to possibly be responsible, though the govt. has been insisting it is ETA)
In an appearance this morning, Aznar confirmed that they are working on this new line of investigation and the possibility that some Arab group could be implicated. He was noticeably very nervous. There is a part of public opinion that is very critical of the government's conduct in the doling out of information. They have taken a long time to inform us of new clues/trails they have found. The deaths are the same but the electoral consequences could be significant. The government's conduct in the Iraq war and the threat to Spain by Arab terrorist groups could have an effect.
(Demonstration called by govt. and political parties for 7 p.m., many people expected.)
(Personal messages.)
FWIW, that's what I'm hearing.
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