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It was on this day in 2004 bombs exploded on four commuter trains in Madrid, Spain.
191 lives were claimed in the attack, generally believed to be by an al-Qaeda cell.
Moroccans Jamal Zougam, who planted at least one bomb, and Otman el-Gnaoui, who helped to transport the dynamite, were sentenced to 42,922 years and 42,924 years in prison respectively for each of the 191 murders.
Under Spanish law the maximum sentence that can be served is 40 years.
Suárez Trashorras - who supplied dynamite in return for drugs - was sentenced to 34,715 years, but is expected to serve less than 40 years.
Emilio Rabei Osman, known as "the Egyptian", was acquitted. He was accused of being central to the plot, but the only evidence presented against him was a wiretap recording by Italian police in which he appeared to claim to have been the mastermind behind the attacks.
This post is a tribute to all the victims who died and suffered that day. I'd like to say that in my opinion justice has been done, but it has not.
I would certainly like to say I think Europe learned something from these attacks, but it did not.
Five years after this atrocity, Islam is creeping closer and closer to official protected status with the EU and UN.
It is now even harder than it was then to speak out and be taken seriously.
But this attack and its victims are a testament to what happens when people and governments are blind to the dangers in their midst.
Wednesday 11 March 2009
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5 comments:
"...were sentenced to 42,922 years and 42,924 years in prison respectively for each of the 191 murders."
"were sentenced to 42,922 years and 42,924 years in prison respectively for each of the 191 murders."
was sentenced to 34,715 years, but is expected to serve less than 40 years."
European thinking regarding the death penalty is pretty clearly screwed up. If a trial produces a sentence in the tens of thousands of years, there should be no expectation of the guilt party ever walking out of the prison. In that case, and for a cause such as this, just execute him and be done with it! How can you hope to reform a person who owes society a debt of 30000+ years?
The idea that 40 years should be a maximum sentence is a complete joke. A man convicted at age 20 with a 30000 year sentence could be out at age 60 to live another 20 to 25 years. What's wrong with this picture?
Have all Europeans taken leave of their senses?
Thanks for remembering this horrific event. Not seen it mentioned or covered much in the mainstream media.
"Under Spanish law the maximum sentence that can be served is 40 years."
I'd be very surprised if they did get 40 years. If Europe was serious about justice, they'd have passed legislation to hang the scum from trees and bury their corpses with that of dead pigs.
Dr. D:
It certainly is pretty screwed up. Most modern European sentences are based around the idea of appeasing the public whilst being overly kind to the criminal.
For example, they hand down this ludicrous 42,922 year sentence, then hope that not too many pople will notice the 'out in 40 years' fine print - not enough to matter, anyway.
Spanish law is actually softer than ours here in Britain - we have no cap, and there are many murderers in our jails who we're told will never get out.
I personally feel in all cases of murder, especially one as wicked, cowardly and horrific as these bombings, the death penalty is the best and fairest solution for all concerned; the victims, society, and yes even the criminal.
MK:
Ah, but the poor bombers didn't have their human rights breached, that's the most important thing.
Tragically, that's what 'justice' has come to mean in Europe.
Is it as bad in Australia? I was under the impression your legal system was still tough, at least compared to ours.
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