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| Europe |
| Spain stands in solidarity with London |
| 2005-07-09 |
| Queen Sofia and thousands of other Spaniards stood silently at noon Friday to express solidarity with the victims of the London bombings in a rare demonstration over a terrorist attack that did not occur on Spanish soil, officials said. Spaniards traditionally hold midday silent vigils outside city halls and other public buildings after major attacks by the Basque separatist group ETA. But Friday's demonstration in hundreds of Spanish cities was the first ever organized with such immediacy for a terrorist attack outside of Spain, a spokesman for the Spanish Federation of Cities and Provinces told CNN. The only other time was after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, said Jesus Diez Lobo, whose federation issued the call for Friday's demonstration. In 2001, the silent demonstration came three days later at the urging of the European Union, and not the day after, which is the typical style in Spain, Diez said. Queen Sofia, who was making a scheduled appearance at a Foreign Ministry aid agency event, interrupted the proceedings at noon to stand for a minute of silence along with other participants, a palace spokeswoman told CNN. "Spain is doing this out of solidarity with the London victims, and because of the solidarity that Spain received last year from municipal organizations abroad," Diez said. That international support came in response to the Madrid train bombings on March 11, 2004 that killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,500. Authorities blame those attacks on Islamic terrorists, and there are chilling similarities to the London attacks, including multiple bombs directed against commuters during morning rush hour on mass transit systems. The Spanish police unit that investigates Islamic terrorism was sending a team to London. It was expected to arrive on Saturday along with a bomb squad expert, a police spokesman told CNN. Their aim is to cooperate with the London police in the investigation. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 "Spain stands in solidarity with London" As long as thry don't have to stand up to any muslims that is, otherwise it's cut and run. Spain has chosen dhimmitude the trials thay are carrying out are for show. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-07-09 13:21 |
| #3 Stand around, act pious, sign the condolance book, and say sennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsitive words. Yeah, that will stop terrorism, all right. You know what I wish President Bush said on the aftermath of the London bombings? Well, here goes: 1. I am saddened and outraged at the cowardly and dastardly deeds these terrorists perpetrated on the people of London. 2. The US government will provide any assistance requested by the British government in dealing with these terrorists and those individuals and governments that back them. 3. Terrorists and their ilk will be hunted down like rabid dogs and eliminated. 4. Let this be a final warning: any attacks on the United States by terrorists will be met with a vengance. Hell will rain upon you and yours who perpetrate these deeds. 5. Specifically, this is a warning to the following terrorists, their sympathizers, financiers, those that harbor terrorists, and those that indoctrinate the young into this suicidal insanity. This is a warning to Iran, to Syria, to Pakistan, to Saudi Arabia, to N Korea and any country that enables terrorist behavior. Your borders are not sanctuary to these individuals. They will be targeted wherever they are. They will not find safety in hiding behind civilians. Those terrorists and terror sponsoring individuals will be hunted down and killed. 6. Movements that support democratic ideals, the rights of women, religious freedom and mutual respect will be supported and encouraged by this government. [and I could go on and on] /rant |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-07-09 10:46 |
| #2 Spain stands in solidarity with London What does it hurt to offer a little expression of solidarity, when there's no Spanish troops deployed in the Middle East, and the bombings didn't happen on Spanish soil? No problem. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-07-09 02:26 |
| #1 Spain should learn from the steadfastness of Londoners, get some backbone. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-07-09 00:23 |