At 8:05 am today (11 March), three commuter trains were ripped apart by multiple explosions. At this time (10:54am), there are an estimated 125 dead and hundreds injured, with many more casualities expected as rescue crews discover more bodies in the remains of the train coaches.

In addition there have been reports of a forth (car) bomb outside the National Assembly, although this was reported on only one television station, and I haven't heard other stations confirming it.

No group has yet come forth to claim responsibility, although the Basque terrorist/mafia gang, ETA, is a likely suspect, especially after over 500 kilograms (1100 pounds) of high explosive chemicals were discovered in a van stopped for a traffic violation near Cuenca last February 29th.

Urgent calls for blood donations have gone out from the Department of Health, and mobile blood donation centers have been set up in several plazas of Madrid in addition to the permanent donation centers.

Hundreds of ambulances and police vehicles are in constant movement, ferrying the injured to the main medical centers, such as Hospital La Paz, for treatment. Bodies and body parts can be seen on the "via" outside the bombed coaches which were almost cut in half by the explosions. At one station, the television showed at least three consecutive coaches with bomb damage in the center of each car, apparently designed to inflict the maximum number of deaths and injuries by the terrorists. All the bombs were apparently set off as the trains were about to unload passengers at the stations, again a strategy designed to increase casualities.

President Aznar cancelled an official function this morning after learning of the attacks. These attacks are the largest in the history of the terrorist campagin waged against the officials and citizens of Spain by ETA, far surpassing an attack on a shopping center in Barcelona in the 1990s which resulted in 26 deaths.

I will try to update this thread as I get more news, but it is a little difficult because I have to go to an Internet Cafe to do so.

Your thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families and friends will be greatly appreciated.

Martin de Madrid