A series of powerful bombs ripped through three Madrid train stations earlier today, killing at least 173 and injuring 600 others. The explosions, which European officials are calling a “declaration of war on democracy,” occurred just days before Spain’s general election.
Spanish officials are blaming the Basque separatist group ETA for the attacks. If the Basque separatists are responsible, it would be the most savage attack in their decades-old campaign to carve out an independent homeland in northern Spain. The ETA has already claimed more than 800 lives since its 1968 launch of the independence fight.
The Connection looks at whether today’s blasts have renewed fears of terrorism and added a new dimension to the global fight against it.
Guests:
Stephen Hugh-Jones, senior editor of The Economist and former Deputy Europe Editor for The Economist
Joseba Zulaika, professor and director of the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno
Daniel Trotta, Reuters correspondent based in Madrid