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The 2004 Madrid Train Bombings: Terror, Lies, and Political Fallout

The 2004 Madrid Train Bombings: Terror, Lies, and Political Fallout
photo: ChatGPT/Terrorist attack in Madrid, generated by AI
27 / 01 / 2025

On March 11, 2004, Madrid was shaken by one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Europe’s history. Ten bombs exploded on four commuter trains, killing 192 people and injuring nearly 2,000.

On the morning of March 11, 2004, a routine commute turned into a nightmare for Madrid residents. During rush hour, with commuter trains packed to capacity, 10 bombs detonated across four trains, leaving 192 dead and nearly 2,000 injured.

The bombs exploded as the trains approached or departed from major stations on the route from Alcalá de Henares to Atocha, Madrid’s central hub for suburban trains. The timing of the attack ensured maximum casualties, as the stations and trains were crowded with commuters.

Minutes of Terror

The bombs exploded in quick succession, strategically planned to cause maximum devastation at busy stations. Some devices failed to detonate, likely due to delays in the trains’ schedules. The blasts shattered train cars, turning debris into deadly projectiles that injured passengers on platforms as well as inside the trains.

"I remember seeing pieces of human flesh, people’s arms, and their shoes scattered everywhere," a witness, Amalio, told the BBC. Another survivor recalled being the only one conscious among three others seated nearby. Many victims suffered post-traumatic amnesia, as Ángeles Dominguez shared with Al Jazeera: "I don’t remember about half an hour of what happened. The human brain is smart—it must have blocked out things I shouldn’t remember."

A Political Storm Amid Tragedy

The attack occurred just three days before Spain’s national elections. The ruling party initially blamed the Basque separatist group ETA, a convenient narrative given their history of violence. However, critics accused the government of using this claim to avoid acknowledging that the attack could have been retaliation for Spain’s involvement in the Iraq War.

The government’s decision to send Spanish troops to Iraq had already been controversial, and admitting a connection to the bombing could have jeopardized the ruling party’s chances in the elections.

Unraveling the Truth

The day after the attack, police arrested several suspects, thanks to a critical clue: a mobile phone linked to undetonated bombs. Investigations soon pointed to al-Qaeda, not ETA, as the group behind the attack.

Public trust in the ruling party plummeted. Protests erupted with slogans like "We want the truth." The opposition Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) won the election, and one of their first actions was to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq.

"No to terrorism, no to war"; Source: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY SA 3.0

Al-Qaeda attempted another attack just weeks later, targeting a high-speed AVE train on April 2. However, the plot was foiled when police tracked suspects to an apartment in Leganés, near Madrid. Rather than surrender, the suspects detonated explosives, killing themselves. A further 29 individuals were arrested, and after a five-month trial, most were convicted in 2007. However, five were later acquitted.

Europe’s Wake-Up Call

The Madrid bombings were the deadliest terrorist attack in Europe since 1988. While Spain had dealt with ETA violence, the scale of this attack was unprecedented. In response, countries like France and Italy tightened security at train stations.

Railways became a target again in 2015 when a gunman attacked a Thalys train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris, according to France 24. Thanks to the intervention of three American passengers, the attacker was subdued, preventing fatalities, though three people were injured. The attacker received a life sentence, and his accomplices were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 7 to 27 years.

Source:  BBC; Al Jazeera; France 24; History; iDnes.cz

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