Spanish Court Finds Lead Defendants in Madrid Train Bombing Guilty
By VOA News
31 October 2007
A Spanish court has found 21 defendants in the 2004 Madrid train bombings guilty of murder and other charges, but acquitted one suspected ringleader.
The court sentenced Moroccans Jamal Zougam and Osman el Gnaoui and Spaniard Emilio Suarez Trashorras to more than 40,000 years in prison, though under Spanish law a convict can only serve a maximum of 40 years.
In a surprise decision, the court acquitted Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, known as Mohammed the Egyptian, who was convicted in Italy last year on charges of membership in a terrorist organization. The judges also acquitted six others.
Most of the 28 defendants are of North African origin. They faced charges including plotting the bombings and providing the explosives. All pleaded not guilty.
Spanish investigators say the attacks were inspired by al-Qaida. Ten bombs exploded on four Madrid commuter trains on March 11, 2004, killing 191 people and injuring more than 1,800. The blasts came three days before a general election that Spain's center-right government appeared set to win.
The ruling Popular Party initially accused the Basque separatist group ETA of carrying out the attacks. But, many Spaniards blamed the bombings on the government's involvement in the Iraq war and voted the opposition Socialists into power.
The Socialists quickly withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq.
Of the prime suspects in the bombings, seven blew themselves up three weeks after the attacks when Spanish police surrounded them in a Madrid apartment block.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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