March 11th

On this day - March 11th 2004 - The Madrid Train bombings

The Madrid train bombings (known in Spain as 11-M) was a coordinated near simultaneous bombing against the morning commuter trains. The four trains attacked had thirteen bombs inn all, but three failed to go off. The attack took place three days before Spain's general election. The bombings killed 191 people and injured over 1800. The official investigation found that the attacks were directed by an al-Qaeda inspired terrorist cell, with no direct connections to al_Qaeda. The miners who sold the explosives to the terrorist were also arrested. The attack was the deadliest terrorist attack in Spanish history and its among the worst in European history. It was the worst attack in Europe since the Lockerbie bombing. On April 3rd four of the suspects from the March attack died in a suicide explosion in Leganés, this suicide attack also killed a police officer. The trail against the 29 accused started on February 15th 2007 and in the end 21 were found guilty and two were sentenced to more than 40,000 years in prison. 

Atocha Station - Photo by Roberto_Garcia