Ten keys facts about 11M
Communication of professor Jose Luis González
International Conference about the terrorist attacks of 11M organized by the University of Wroclaw (Poland)
Wroclaw, 11th March 2005
Presentation of the Conference in charge of the Dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences
On 12th September 2001, Manuel Castells, Doctor in Sociology and Urban and Regional Planning in the University of Berkeley (United States), and one of the most advanced intellectuals of our time, told me about his reflections from California: “What happened yesterday (11S) in New York lays down a change in international relations because it brings along a different type of war, a war that will be long, cruel and with multiple manifestations in many places”.
On 11th March 2004, my beloved Madrid was outraged… it was one more of those cruel manifestations that Castells calls Red War, in the name of the Holy War.
“Network terrorism is defeated with intelligence activities and repression to these network nodes by military people and police”. Castells added to this reflection- at a consternated time when he just felt like any other North-American citizen: “I sympathize deeply with the American nation, which I am a part of, in a way”. He expressed a fundamental thought to understand the problem: “We have to deal with the originating reasons by means of tolerance and respect for all cultures, the guaranteed creation of a Palestinian State is essential and, what is more, a global development plan for the new economy and technological revolution to integrate those segments excluded from the planet”.
He said this before 11S, he said it after, he is saying it now talking about the slaughter in Madrid, the matter is clear: “Israel must be obliged to recognize a Palestinian State and to live peacefully, but fundamentalism goes further from a civilized way of living, in the West as in the East”.
This Spanish intellectual thinks that the humiliated identity and the religious and cultural contempt of Islam by western authorities drag along the opposition and the calling of a Holy War by the fundamentalists. On one side the Red War, on the other side the Holy War; two complementary concepts whose aim is the destruction of the economic and political institutions of the United States… and, as we could well see by ourselves, of Europe.
According to Castells, we find three levels in this conflict: the first, to put Islamic fundamentalist terrorist networks out of action; the second, to prevent the re-construction of these networks; and finally, to avoid their recreation. Castells affirms that “our economic and social organization and our political institutions have created the phenomenon we have to fight today, including Bin Laden, who learnt in the CIA. In the long term, we need an absolute reform in our world, overcoming social exclusion and the oppression of identities. In the short term, we are at war”. A war that we have suffered in Spain in its most bloodthirsty way.
Spanish mass media and elections in the face of terrorism
Ten key facts about 11M:
1st KEY: Iraq War
- In order to understand the Popular Party defeat (PP/right), in the 14th March 2004 elections, it is necessary to go back beyond 11th March
- The genesis of Aznar’s electoral disaster must be located in the Iraq War
- A successful economic management and a steady anti-terrorist policy placed the PP with a ten points margin over the Socialist Party, before its direct involvement in Iraqi conflict
- 92% of citizens show their rejection to Spain’s involvement in Iraq War
No War
- Iraq War mobilized Spanish society
- On 15th February 2003, one and half million people demonstrated on Barcelona streets
Demostration aganist Iraq War (Barcelona)
Two million people aganist Iraq War, in Madrid
- That same day, more than two million people showed their rejection in the crowed demonstration in Madrid
- Incomprehensibly, José María Aznar’s Government didn’t listen to generalized rejection, including that of many Popular Pary voters who were aganist War
"Peace, yes, War, no.. I’m supporter of PP"
- José María Aznar justified his bellicist stance on assumptions that very soon were proved wrong
- The first argument was the famous and false weapons of massive destruction
2nd KEY: Azores’ picture
- The ratification and staging of José María Aznar’s support to George Bush took place in the famous Azores date, on 16th March 2003
- That meeting marked a definitive turn in Spanish traditional foreign policy
Even at the very heart of the PP there was some cristicism of the strategy of the then President
- Spain distanced from France and Germany, in order to take a stand in the United States-United Kingdom axis
- Spain became an Al Qaeda target, which has been confirmed in the judicial inquiry currently being carried out by judge Del Olmo
Blair, Bush and Aznar, in Azores (Portugal)
3rd KEY: Casablanca attack
- On 16th may 2003. Al Qaeda kills 45 people in Casa de España (Spanish House) in Casablanca (Morocco)
Casablanca attack
- Spanish government denied any link between Spain’s involvement in Iraq War and Casablanca killing
- Judicial inquiry has later determined a DIRECT LINK
El Pais
4th KEY: First Spanish deaths
- On 30th November 2003, seven Spanish secret agents suffered an ambush on the outskirts of Baghdad and were killed
- They are the first Spanish victims in the conflict
- In the picture, some Iraqis step on the Spaniard dead bodies
Spaniards killed in Baghdad
5th KEY: 9M surveys
- On Monday 9 March 2005, last intention of vote surveys were published
- The Iraq War marked the electoral campaign
- The PP had throw away a ten points advantage and two days before the Madrid attack the situation was a technical draw between the Popular Party supports and the socialists
6th KEY: 11M, the infamous day
- On 11th March 2004, Al Qaeda kills in Madrid 192 people and leave wounded 1500
- Most of the victims were young university students, workers and inmigrants
- It is the wildest terrorist attack ever committed on European land
- The youngest victim of the killing was a seven months old Polish baby called Patrizia Rzaca. Her father, Wieslaw, also died in the attack. In total, four Polish citizens died in the Madrid massacre
11M Madrid
- Twelve terrorists placed fourteen bombs in four trains that went off in the central Atocha Station and two order stations close to Spanish capital
- Terror scenes were reproduced in Madrid from 8:00 am
- That same morning, on 11M, the investigators had already ascertained the involvement of Al Qaeda, what was reflected as well in the summary being instructed by judge Del Olmo
11M Madrid
11M Madrid
- Given the tightness of surveys, with the dead bodies in the mortuaries and the wounded in hospitals, the political logic showed that an Al Qaeda attack would mean, as it was, a PP defeat
- Aznar and his collaborators invented a guilty for the Madrid attack : ETA (Basque terrorist organization)
- The winner of the elections depended on who was responsible for the attack:
ETA gave victory to Popular Party (PP)
Al Qaeda to Socialist Party (PSOE)
7th KEY: From 11th to 14th March: information and disinformation
- In order to reach their goals, the Government focused its strategy of information and disinformation on two fronts:
Spanish public television (TVE)
Some ambassadors in foreign countries
- On its side, the Socialist Party had Cadena SER (main radio station in Spain) invaluable assistance, contributing to the definitive attrition of Aznar Government
- In the last Reporteros sin Fronteras report on freedom of press, Spain ranks in the penultimate position in European Union (only before Italy)
- RSF denounce “the informative manipulation of Government in the previous days to 14M elections”
- This manipulation and disinformation was denounced by the foreign correspondents
- In the same way, RSF insists in denouncing the lack of freedom in the practice of journalism in the Basque Country
- Evidence of Al Qaeda responsibility was clear. Police investigation indicated so, and the government was perfectly informed
- To top it all, on 12th March, Israel secret services sources, and the ones from the very CIA, pointed to Al Qaeda
- That same day, at night, a London digital newspaper emitted a message by which Islamic terrorists assumed responsibility
- In spite of all, the Aznar government maintained an incorrect political and communication strategy that eventually cost them the 14M general elections
8th KEY: Who has been responsible?
- Political tension moved into the streets. Spanish citizens wanted to vote knowing the truth about the authors attack
- Spain was in mourning. There was a generalized anger and indignation amongst a citizenship that screamed aloud: WHO IS A RESPONSIBLE?- The whole of Spain mobilized, let’s see some examples of some days that became historical:
Mobilized students and black bows were placed on balconies all over Spain
Madrid 12M
Madrid 12M
Minutes of silence, pauses in work and notes in Arabic demanding: NEVER AGAIN!
Madrid 12M
The rain didn’t impede that the Spaniards run into the streets on Friday 12th March 2004
Madrid 12M
Politicians and Monarchy led Madrid demonstration. The clamour was unanimous: Who has been responsible? From left to right: the former Interior minister Ángel Acebes, Zapatero, Aznar, Prince Felipe and his daughters the infants Elena and Cristina
Madrid 12M
Two million people congregated around Atocha Station, the place of attack
Madrid 12M
Madrid 12M
Barcelona 12M
Bilbao 12M
Sevilla 12M
Valencia 12M
Zaragoza 12M
- Every kind of manipulation and political orientation leaked to the very reflection day
- The Government maintained its strategy of blaming ETA up to Saturday midnigth on
- The socialists were suspected of promoting a quick campaign aganist the Government, coordinated through cell phones and consisting of protests in front of the Popular Party headquarters all over Spain
9th KEY: 14M, electoral overturning in Spain
- All the development of referred events became in the polls in a surprising electoral overturning and an electoral landside for socialists
Zapatero president
- The 14M numbers summary is the following:
Very high Spanish turn out. 78% turned out, the mobilization or awakening of younth vote was outstanding
Socialist Party won over 11 million votes, 42% getting 164 seats
The PP fell 8 points behind the socialists, with 34%, losing the Government and 35 seats
- CONCLUSIONS:
- Before the second Gulf War, the Popular Party headed by Aznar relied on a comfortable 8 points advantage over the Socialist Party
- The Spanish involvement in the Iraqi conflict was undermining these advantages during one year, reaching the 9M with a technical draw
- The 11M attack in Madrid and the unlucky management of Government from 11th to 14th was punished by the citizenship, changing the previous 8 points advantage of the PP in socialists the favour
- The first Government action by new president Zapatero was the withdraw of Spanish troops from Iraq. This political action was framed within the logical interpretation of 14M results
- From that time on, the new Government changed the foreign policy into traditional support to French-German axis
- All the world press echoed the 11M attacks and the 14M electoral overturning; including the Polish press and outstanding report being that published by Polityka with a surprising and graphic headline in Spanish
Headline of Polityka (Polonia)
10th KEY: The victims
- After being manipulated, the 11M victims managed to raise their voice in the historical 16th December 2004 parliamentarian appearance
- Pilar Manjón, who lost her 21 year old son in the attack, was the victims’ spokeperson in a memorable speech in the Congress of Deputies
Pilar Manjón
- Manjón demanded responsibilities for 11M errors
- She strongly criticised politicians and some mass media por using the pain of the victims families as a “weapon”
- And she demanded, without success, an independent commission, without political parties, in order to seek the truth and do justice
In memory of the 192 victims
Wroclaw (Polska) 11th of March 2005
Febrero 5th, 2006 at 4:48 am
EL 11M NO ESTA ACLARADO.
LOS SERVIVIOS SECRETOS FRANCESES Y MARROQUIES ESTAN IMPLICADOS EN EL ATENTADO.
LOS SOCIALISTAS ESPAÑOLES NO QUIEREN INVESTIGAR.
ETA COLABORO ACTIVAMENTE EN LA PREPARACION DE LOS ATENTADOS.
QUIEN NO LO QUIERA VER ES QUE ESTA CIEGO.
QUE OS DEN POR EL CULO A TODOS
Marzo 11th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Peter, das pena. Despues de asesinar a 192 personas hablas asi demostrando que no tienes corazon ni sentimientos.
Si perdisteis las elecciones, haberlo pensado cuando nos metisteis en una guerra en la que nadie queria perticipar.
Perdisteis las elecciones por vuestros propios errores, asumidlo ya.
Junio 30th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
[...] Ten keys facts about 11M [...]
Marzo 11th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Se cumple un aniversario mas de los atentados más tristes de la historia de España. En la mañana del 11 de marzo, un grupo asesino del extremismo islámico hizo volar por los aires varios de los vagones del Metro de Madrid. Dicha actitud criminal conmocionó la sensibilidad de la población española y mundial.
He sentido el dolor de los familiares de las víctimas, el desgarro incontrolable que es imposible cuantificar, el sufrimiento extremo de los heridos, testigos y de la nación española que se unió a las víctimas y compartieron juntos el dolor y la solidaridad. Una mirada lejana a los hechos haría meditar que los estados democráticos deberían unir esfuerzos para controlar la ola terrorista internacional y consolidar en los países conflictivos Estados auténticos de Derecho, en que el respeto a la vida humana sea una característica inmediata. El esfuerzo de las personas que creemos en el Estado de Derecho, y en la Democracia debe ser más consistente, cuando vemos que una parte del mundo abandona los principios de la dignidad humana y se acerca equivocadamente a conductas repudiables con graves consecuencias internacionales. Este esfuerzo por construir un nuevo diálogo de entendimiento entre los gobiernos, partidos políticos, instituciones públicas y privadas deber ir encaminadas en este camino, no tan sencillo, pero si necesario si queremos abrir un sendero de posibilidades para las nuevas generaciones del futuro. Creo en la Democracia, y en el respeto de las instituciones que ellas representa, porque ellas legitimas el buen gobierno que todos deseamos. Es imposible acercarnos a la prosperidad, a la libertad alejados de la Democracia. A partir de un diálogo sincero, abierto y aperturista, pienso que estaríamos construyendo las bases de un diálogo fecundo entre los países del mundo, y especialmente del mundo islámico. Pero dicha esperanza de diálogo deben ir de la mano de una voluntad creíble
de los países desarrollados hacia los países en vías de desarrollo, condicionando en ellos verdaderas economías abiertas que generen crecimiento y desarrollo. No es que el mundo islámico haya recientemente declarado la guerra a occidente por envidia o fanatismo. Los hechos se analizan de acuerdo a su dinámica, y en ello, el mundo islámico reacciona frente a un mundo posmoderno cada vez más alejado y ajeno. La brecha que separa a los países ricos y pobres es cada vez mayor desde que se derrumbó el muro de Berlín en 1990. El porcentaje de pobres en los países en vías de desarrollo es cada vez más preocupante. La ausencia de motivaciones personales, profesionales y de una calidad de vida, hacen que cientos o quizás miles de jóvenes ingresen año a año a las filas de movimientos extremistas, que lejos de buscar las soluciones a sus problemas fundamentales, se entregan sin reserva al aniquilamiento y a la desesperanza.
Los resultados recientes del presidente José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero tendrá la oportunidad de llevar a España en la conducción del fortalecimiento de su papel europeísta, construyendo la política española a través del diálogo, la tolerancia y el respeto. Es la hora en que España refuerce su papel en la dimensión política de la Unión Europea, de un mayor compromiso dinámico con Hispanoamérica, una constante cooperación y solidaridad con el pueblo africano, y sea un canal dialogante cada vez más fecundo con el mundo islámico. La grandeza de un pueblo está en su gente, y España lo ha demostrado en esa madurez cívica en las elecciones presidenciales del pasado mes.
Hemos entrado en una dinámica internacional muy importante para los próximos años. La tarea a conducir no será fácil, pero es posible construir canales de entendimiento, en estos momentos de desesperanza. En esta guerra globalizada nadie se encuentra exento de encontrar la muerte. El Derecho a la vida debe ser un principio indiscutible para los amantes de la paz y ella nunca será posible si pretendemos vivir fuera de los causes de la democracia. En este mundo posmoderno, en que la tecnología, la comunicación y el conocimiento se han constituido en patrones cotidianos, hagamos del diálogo y del respeto a la dignidad humana en instrumentos de convivencia entre nosotros y hacía los demás.
Miguel Sedamano Ballesteros.