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Four Madrid bomb convicts cleared | Four Madrid bomb convicts cleared |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Spain's Supreme Court has overturned the convictions of four people found guilty of involvement in the 2004 Madrid train bombings. | |
The four were among 21 people convicted last year over the attacks, which killed 191 people. | The four were among 21 people convicted last year over the attacks, which killed 191 people. |
The court also upheld the acquittal of an Egyptian suspected of masterminding the attacks, because he had already been convicted of the offence in Italy. | The court also upheld the acquittal of an Egyptian suspected of masterminding the attacks, because he had already been convicted of the offence in Italy. |
However it convicted and jailed one of those originally found not guilty. | However it convicted and jailed one of those originally found not guilty. |
The Spanish man, who was sentenced to four years in prison, had earlier been cleared of helping to supply the explosives used in the Madrid attacks. | The Spanish man, who was sentenced to four years in prison, had earlier been cleared of helping to supply the explosives used in the Madrid attacks. |
Mastermind boast? | Mastermind boast? |
The Egyptian man, Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, had been cleared of involvement in the bombings in October. | The Egyptian man, Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, had been cleared of involvement in the bombings in October. |
Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed had already been convicted in Italy | Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed had already been convicted in Italy |
As he had already been sentenced to eight years in prison in Italy for belonging to a terrorist organisation, the court ruled he could not be convicted again for the same crime. | As he had already been sentenced to eight years in prison in Italy for belonging to a terrorist organisation, the court ruled he could not be convicted again for the same crime. |
Prosecutors had argued that Sayed was appealing against the Italian judgement and technically had not been convicted. | Prosecutors had argued that Sayed was appealing against the Italian judgement and technically had not been convicted. |
Sayed's lawyers in that case are challenging key evidence - a recording in which he apparently boasts of masterminding the bombings. | Sayed's lawyers in that case are challenging key evidence - a recording in which he apparently boasts of masterminding the bombings. |
They say the voice heard is not his, and that it has been mistranslated. | They say the voice heard is not his, and that it has been mistranslated. |
Changing the course of history | Changing the course of history |
Last October, a Spanish court cleared three men of masterminding the attack and acquitted seven others, while convicting 21 people for involvement in the attack. | Last October, a Spanish court cleared three men of masterminding the attack and acquitted seven others, while convicting 21 people for involvement in the attack. |
Many victim support groups were angered by the acquittals and said the sentences handed down were much lower than those requested by the state attorney. | Many victim support groups were angered by the acquittals and said the sentences handed down were much lower than those requested by the state attorney. |
The decision to overturn some of those convictions due to insufficient evidence will not please these groups, says the BBC's Danny Wood in Madrid. | |
Jesus Ramirez, a survivor of the attacks, said he accepted the court ruling even if he did not agree with it. | |
"Even though we may oppose it in our hearts, they have more information and have weighed the evidence and made a decision," he told the Associated Press. | "Even though we may oppose it in our hearts, they have more information and have weighed the evidence and made a decision," he told the Associated Press. |
The train bombings killed 191 people and injured 1,800 | The train bombings killed 191 people and injured 1,800 |
Meanwhile, Luca D'Auria, Sayed's Italian lawyer, expressed satisfaction at the verdict. | Meanwhile, Luca D'Auria, Sayed's Italian lawyer, expressed satisfaction at the verdict. |
"Both myself and (Sayed's) Spanish lawyer have always imagined it would end this way - I am extremely satisfied," he said. | "Both myself and (Sayed's) Spanish lawyer have always imagined it would end this way - I am extremely satisfied," he said. |
The Madrid bombing - in which 10 rucksack bombs tore through four packed commuter trains on 11 March 2004 - was Europe's most deadly terror attack since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. | The Madrid bombing - in which 10 rucksack bombs tore through four packed commuter trains on 11 March 2004 - was Europe's most deadly terror attack since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. |
Analysts say the attacks changed the course of Spanish politics because in an election three days later voters ditched a conservative government that at first blamed the bombs on the Spanish separatist group Eta. | Analysts say the attacks changed the course of Spanish politics because in an election three days later voters ditched a conservative government that at first blamed the bombs on the Spanish separatist group Eta. |
Spanish investigators said the bombers were part of a local Islamist militant group inspired by al-Qaeda, but had no direct links to the terror organisation. | Spanish investigators said the bombers were part of a local Islamist militant group inspired by al-Qaeda, but had no direct links to the terror organisation. |
They had acted to avenge the presence of Spanish troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, said investigators. | They had acted to avenge the presence of Spanish troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, said investigators. |