The Hindu : Five arrested

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

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International

Five arrested

MADRID (SPAIN), MARCH 13. The Spanish Interior Minister, Angel Acebes, on Saturday announced the arrest of five persons, including three Moroccans, for the Madrid bombings. The other two, "Hindus of Spanish origin," were being questioned but were not expected to be arrested, Mr. Acebes said.

The detentions are in connection with a cellphone found inside an explosives-packed gym bag found on one of the bombed commuter trains.

The suspects "could be related to Moroccan extremist groups," the Minister said.

"But we should not rule out anything. Police are still investigating all avenues. This opens an important avenue."

Earlier, Mr. Acebes told a press conference that "police investigations are advancing rigorously and professionally."

``But (Basque militant group) ETA remain our prime suspects,'' he added, insisting the Government had been pursuing that lead as well as the possibility of Islamic fundamentalists from the start.

"No Spaniard should be surprised that we are prioritising the terrorist group which has been committing terrorist acts in Spain for 300 years and killed some 900 people.

"There is no doubt those who are responsible will be brought to justice and made to pay,'' he said. Autopsies carried out after the terror attacks have turned up no evidence of a suicide bombing, the Minister said.

"Of the autopsies carried out, none of them have given as a result that (death) was caused by a suicide bomb," Mr. Acebes said.

Suicide attacks are a hallmark of militants linked to the Al-Qaeda.

Spain held emotional funerals today for some of the 200 victims of the bomb attacks in Madrid on the eve of general elections that have been overtaken by the debate over who is responsible for the bloodshed.

Masses were held in many places, one day after the biggest demonstrations the country has ever seen denounced Thursday's atrocity, in which 10 bombs tore through packed morning commuter trains.

— AP

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