DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack

by kcurie Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:22:45 AM EST

Just two hours ago and two days before the general election in Spain, ETA has killed a Basque politician and former office holder.

Isaías Carrasco was shot three times in front of his wife and daughter. He had no bodyguards since he was no longer a member of the Social-Democrat group in the Mondragón city council.

The election campaign is officially over... the left-wing government is really shaken. PM Zapatero's face when he received the news at a rally is that of a shattered man. The right-wing PP cancelled also all their activities.

We will follow the developments here... but anything you have heard before about the general election to be held in two days's time is now officially "not valid". Now, everything is possible.

Spanish community... please... update... at will...

Updates as they come....

The right-wing leader's official response already aired. Basically, generalities but he just slipped one sentence with electoral tone... "...I think you all know what I think about ETA", making reference to his forceful opposition to any ETA talks... and his strong use of the terrorist policy against Zapaptero. Subtle but clear. And his charge that Zapatero's policies have strengthened ETA since 2004.

The interior minister also gave a press conference. Nothing unexpected. ETA is considered the author.

Developing... Migeru reports in comments that there will be a special session of the Parliament. We will see whether it happens. A high-ranking meeting between the two bigest parties is supposed to happen at 18:00 or 19:00 this afternoon. Not sure whether it will happen.

17:00 PM Zapatero's formal statement on TV. Generalities first. Condemns the attack and the pain for the family. Police will crack down on then murderers as it has done successfully before. End of generalities. The PM states that ETA could cause damage but it is already down thanks to democracy, it is isolated, and its only future (its members') is prison. Democracy, democracy, democracy, institutions and liberties will finish up ETA. He finishes.

Short, quite short, and surprising with a claim that ETA is already finished.

17:05 Basque Lehendakari's (PM of Basque Country) official TV announcement. "They are savages". Using rather colloquial words he says that people are fed up with ETA... and ETA must not play any role in politics. "Killing a former politician is an overdose of cowardice" Strong words from the Nationalistic Basque Government.

There will be silent rallies in the Basque Country in front of all town and city councils, and government offices. 23:05 After a session in Congress where all political parties decried the murder and declared the will to finish ETA, the right-wing PP is doing some indications that they want to stress that "no negotiation route" is possible to finish ETA. They are stressing that the Congress should declare invalid the powers that he gave Zapatero to talk with ETA. I do not knwo how it wil look like in the street, but the fact that left and right-wing newspapers are stressing this side of the argument indicates that some people, right and left, think that somehow you can control how to win votes with this thing. If you talk with ETA... you are bad.. if you join a declaration but point out a difference in your approach, then bad too... It is not very nice to see that stuff.

DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack | 34 comments (34 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 3)

ETA wants Rajoy as Prime Minister.

But they killed a Socialist, not a PP member.

Which might rally voters in support of the PSOE.

However, the PSOE is divided on Zapatero's ETA policies, as well as on his devolution policies.

So this might demovilize the PSOE vote. Killing a PP member wouldn't have mobilized the PP vote any more since they are nearly 100% mobilized already.

There is a new political party, Unión Prograso y Democracia, started by a former Basque Socialist MEP who ran against Zapatero in the PSOE leadership contest in 2000 and quit the PSOE over Zapatero's ETA and devolution policies. They are "Progressive, non-nationalist, constitutionalist and secular". My problem with their non-nationalist is that it is Spanish centralist: they are not federalist and believe Spain has had enough devolution already.

Zapatero must have been as livid as he was when, on 30 December 2006, the day after he claimed "on terrorism we'll be much better a year from now than we are today", ETA demolished a parking structure at Madrid's Barajas airport and killed two immigrants.

That was a huge failure of intelligence. Either the intelligence services didn't know what was up, or they knew and didn't tell ZP, or they told him and he didn't listen. The fact that nobody was fired or "promoted away" suggests to me that ZP wasn't listening. Was he also not listening on this occasion?

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:35:45 AM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 0)

I was expecting the killing of a PP leader.. why not?

Maybe it is because the PP electorate is already mobilized as you say..

I do not know...

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:37:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

This is fucking ridiculous. This will make two cosecutive elections with a high-profile terrorist attack within 72h of the election.

Which means, whoever wins will be an "accidental president" yet again.

It makes me want to throw up.

I want heads to roll in the intelligence services. They should have rolled after March 11 2004 and after December 20 2006.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:39:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 6)

It was really devastating to see another useless death, when I heard it at lunch.

What would ETA win with Rajoy as President, if all he will do is use full force and ´never even listen´? Maybe the regional Basque PSOE is divided, but it doesn´t seem to be at national level.

I agree that it´s a failure of intelligence, but they couldn´t possibly cover every past politician and it sounds more like the only weak spot ETA could find, given the full alert of the security services all week. Maybe the Mondragon police should have been more thorough? The victim had given up his security detail because he was no longer a councilman in the city and obviously ETA doesn´t have the manpower to attempt against someone now in office.

This is the 5th ETA murder in these four years, after the two people at the airport and the two civil guards in France. It´s a desperately, cowardly murder by two men, but it also says that they are not operationally ready for the targets they wish.

After a while of news repetition though, I thought about the 16 women dead, so far, in 2008 from family violence (about 70 in 2007) and I thought we should call it family ´terrorism´ too, so that the same resources are used to stop it!

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 02:15:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

metavision:

Maybe the regional Basque PSOE is divided, but it doesn´t seem to be at national level.

Hmm, Bono, Rodríguez-Ibarra, even Rubalcaba (according to Rumours). There must be more where Rosa Díez came from.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 04:23:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

metavision:

What would ETA win with Rajoy as President, if all he will do is use full force and ´never even listen´?

In recent times the Basque independentists have never been politically stronger than in 1998-2000 when polarization of the Basque political climate led to the Basque PP being the second party, the independentist EH the third and the Social Democrat PSE-EE dropped from second to 4th.

Polarization benefits both the PP and ETA. They need each other.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Mar 8th, 2008 at 06:02:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

As migeru points out... two presidential elections affected by a terrorist attack.. no matter who wins...

Great... it is so great I want to vomit.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:38:50 AM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

We're sure it's ETA this time?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:39:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

A formal declaration has not been issued.. but killing one ex-politican is tpical standard procedure... just as it is Al-Qaeda procedure to target mass transit.

As soon is formally announced we will update.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:41:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

Unless it's a false flag operation...

The MO clearly points to ETA: he was shot in the head at the entrance to his home. He was shot in front of his wife and child, something ETA did already once in Sevilla (they killed a local councillor and his wife in front of both of their young children).

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:41:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 3)

Just want to say that Italy (including me!) is deeply solidaristic with Spain in the face of this tragic horror... we feel particularly close to you at this time. Huge top headlines in all our papers and on TV with practically no electoral-effects speculation, emphasis here is all about Spain as a nation shocked and suffering but firmly united ... wishing you well.

"Ignoring moralities is always undesirable, but doing so systematically is really worrisome." Mohammed Khatami

by eternalcityblues (parvati_roma aaaat libero.it) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 10:43:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

Thanks indeed...

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Sat Mar 8th, 2008 at 05:39:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 0)

There will be an extraordinary session of parliament this afternoon. Zapatero is facing his hardest debate ever. He can't afford to dither because he'll be asked what he's hiding. And he cannot afford to disavow his previous policies because Rajoy will say "we were right".

He will, in any case, repeat the charge that ETA was weaker in 2004 and after Zapatero it has killed 3 people.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:43:50 AM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 3)

Rajao brought that up in the last debate and Zapatero creamed him with:

"... We have had 4 victims of terrorism in our legislature, versus the 230(?) during your tenure..."

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 02:20:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

Interior minister has appeared in front of the cameras... ETA is considered the most probable culprit.

The only possibility I can see as a personal murder... but it is doubtful.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:44:19 AM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

The only OTHER possibility I can see is a personal murder.. but this possibility get dimmer by the hour.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:51:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

Back again as MIgeru said... the who benefit question will be with us again for years.. for antoehr four years...

Maybe this is what ETA wants...

Expect the sentences "ETA killing will benefit PP becuase they are tough against terrorist and it whows you can not talk with them" .. and the "it will benefit PSOE because it shows that ZP did not give an inch to ETA and now they kill one of their own".. and the "why do you think ETA did not kill one of PP? because they want PSOE in government, and they sacrifized one small council member so as to be in power by generating sympathy"... these kind of sentences will be all around. Brace for it.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 09:58:28 AM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

There should be "spontaneous" rallies/vigils after 5pm today. But like the ones on March 11 4 years ago, they will be politically charged.

The trouble with the likely "official" demonstrations tomorrow is that tomorrow is the "reflection day" during which no political campaigning is allowed at all.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 10:10:40 AM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

I have no idea if they will reach an agreement.. any kind of demonstration is going to be politically charged... so if any party does not like it should not happen.. and even if it happens.. expect rightwing member to carry the day in some quartets...

this is crazy... absolutely crazy.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 10:15:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

Tomorrow 12:00 there will be concentrations, at least in Basque Country.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:16:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

Demonstrations?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:19:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

Rallies.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:29:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

how do you call a small rally in silence at different points of a city? I did not know the word. so I used the concentration word..

but I meant is small groups of people joining in silence in different places of a city (major, government offices..) if the town is small all in one place. No slogans..

small silent rallies is proably the best word/description

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:44:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

You can call it a vigil. Except the word "vigil" recalls the nightime.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:48:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

Day vigil, yeah.. that will fit perfectly.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:49:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

How worthy is a man' life, when he has to spend it in constant fear?
A human life is more than biology. It is beliefs, attitudes, creations, and to struggle against other's b&a&c. (which means that our roots can be as older has the oldest recorded thoughts).

We, in PSOE, refuse the politics of fear, and turn Spain away from a terror mentality, because we know that by doing so, our citizens lives would be less free, less intense, less worthy to be remembered.
X. knew it, and thought for that too. As they say in that part of our country: as he lived well, so he died well.

To refuse terrorism is to refuse terror in our hearts. That what we do, in this government: we think as cold-heartedly as possible to allow our citizens to live free, rich lives, instead of making the menace omnipresent and dominant in our cities and political life.

That would be my speech to parliament.

by findmeaDoorIntoSummer on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:27:45 AM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

I do nto think the PM will adress congress.. and the fear narrative is not ingrained in Spain so much despite the attempt in some quartets to push this idea.

here it is about the best way to deal with the end of ETA.. this is the standard narrative/discussion in the politic arena...except for some rabids who think that Zapatero is a terrorist.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 11:48:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

so PP does not follow the politics of fear? good to know. thanks.

by findmeaDoorIntoSummer on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 12:16:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (none / 1)

Oh.. no some elemnts of the party try to do it... but ETA is so weak that it does not get into thepopulations.

Besides, here in Spain there is an old conception that fear is for wimps... and be worried about your security is "sissy"...

Different world and cultures from the US or other countries. Even after 11-M there was not such a fear.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 12:23:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

Don´t know his political acts as a council member for the PSOE, but Isaias Carrasco has worked at a road toll station, while he was in office and until now....

It´s even more enraging that ETA went after someone with no power position, except as party militant. The sociopaths just could not let an election go by without killing!

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 03:32:53 PM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

and ruined 2 other lives by killing their husband and father in front of their eyes. what are the chances these people will now live the rest of their lives happy?

by zoe on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 04:20:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 2)

Not many.. but they shoudl be able to have some level of normalcy in some years...if they mourn, mourn..

it is so sad...so sad

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 at 05:01:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 4)

La exigencia del PP fractura de nuevo la unidad contra ETA · ELPAÍS.com		The PP's demanding stance breaks, once, again, the unity against ETA - ElPaís.com
El PP firmó ayer el acuerdo de todos los partidos para luchar unidos contra ETA, y después tardó exactamente un minuto y medio en volver a arremeter contra la política antiterrorista del Gobierno y en advertir que no descarta participar en concentraciones contra la banda paralelas a la oficial. La respuesta "firme y unitaria" que pactaron los siete grupos parlamentarios, la patronal y los sindicatos, reunidos de urgencia en el Congreso tras el asesinato del ex concejal socialista Isaías Carrasco, quedó así empañada cuando la familia aún lloraba a la última víctima del terrorismo etarra.		The PP yesterday signed the agreement of all [political] parties to fight ETA together, and then took exactly a minute and a half to charge once more against the Government's antiterrorist policy and to warn that it doesn't rule out rallies against ETA separate from the official ones. The "firm and unitary" response agreed by the seven parliamentary groups, business leaders and the unions, gathered urgently in the Congress [lower house] after the murder of the former town councilman Isaías Carrasco, was in this way clouded while the family still mourned the last wictim of ETA's violence.
Los partidos habían acordado un comunicado que anuncia: "Todos estamos dispuestos a responder a esta agresión de forma firme y unitaria, a defender la libertad y a derrotar a ETA". Añade que los terroristas "nunca conseguirán nada", que "sólo les espera la aplicación de la ley, la acción de la policía y el ejercicio de la justicia". Y concluye: "Al terrorismo sólo se le puede combatir y derrotar con la unidad de los demócratas y con la fuerza del Estado de derecho".		The [political] parties had agreed a communication accouncing: "we are all ready to respond to this aggression in a firm and unitary manner, to defend liberty and defeat ETA". It adds that terrorists "will never achieve anything", that "only the application of the law, police action and the exercise of justice" awaits them. And it concludes: "Terrorism can only be fought and defeated with the unity of democrats and the strength of the rule of law".
Aparentemente, todos de acuerdo. Pero el PP quiso subrayar, en la rueda de prensa posterior -que tampoco fue conjunta porque los populares prefirieron hacerla por separado-, que el resto de grupos había vetado dos cosas que ellos querían incluir: el compromiso de que "nunca se negociará con ETA para pagarle un precio político" y el de derogar la resolución parlamentaria que autorizó en 2005 el diálogo con la banda.		Everyone apparently agreed. But the PP wanted to underline, in the press conference later on - which was also not common because the PP preferred to do theirs separately - that the rest of the groups had vetoed two things that they wanted to include: the commitment that "ETA will never be negotiated with to pay them a political price" and the repeal of the 2005 parliamentary resolution which authorised the dialogue with the gang.

It'd be nice if the battle were only against the right wingers, not half of the left on top of that — François in Paris

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Mar 8th, 2008 at 11:36:41 AM EST

Re: DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack (4.00 / 3)

And then.. today there has been the confrontation between Rajoy and the PSE head Patxi Lopez witht he family of the muerdered not wanting to talk with rajoy..

Plus allt eh right-wing ientrnet network plus radio calling this "the last push of ETA to help Zapatero"...so that they can talk after the elections...

the right-wing website are sickening sooner than expected.. but the PP leaders ahve not reached wing-nut territory yet... and still, they manage to make noise about their movements.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Sat Mar 8th, 2008 at 12:42:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack | 34 comments (34 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Go to: [ European Tribune Homepage : Top of page : Top of comments ]

DEVELOPING: ETA terrorist attack

Top Diaries

Ireland 2023 Rugby World Cup Squad selected

Integrating Ukraine Into NATO Family

Leinster's demise and Munster's hope

Southern Irish disinterest in Northern Ireland affairs

The end is Nigh?

Joe Biden. America's Interventionist Hero

Recent Diaries

NATO Posing the What If Question

Bi-Partisan Effort to Undermine Democracy

June 2023

Ireland 2023 Rugby World Cup Squad selected

Integrating Ukraine Into NATO Family

Southern Irish disinterest in Northern Ireland affairs

Incident Ukrainian War Display Gets Int'l Attention

German Climate Activists Group Outlawed

Leinster's demise and Munster's hope

Joe Biden. America's Interventionist Hero

Targeted Assassinations: a Bankrupt Strategy

The end is Nigh?

Hijacking Peace by Zelensky for War Escalation

UA Drone Attack On Moscow

May 2023

US Provoked Conflict In Europe

U.S. Will Be Ousted From Middle-East

Settler Extremism Blessed by Jerusalem Leaders