SPAIN: CAR BOMB DETONATES AT MADRID AIRPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MADRID 003111 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DS/IP/EUR EUR FOR A/S FRIED AND PDAS VOLKER EUR/WE FOR ALLEGRONE, CLEMENTS, AND CERVETTI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC CASC PGOV SP SUBJECT: SPAIN: CAR BOMB DETONATES AT MADRID AIRPORT REF: MADRID - OPS CENTER DISCUSSIONS OF 12/30 MADRID 00003111 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. A car bomb detonated at 9 a.m. Madrid local time on December 30 in a public parking garage outside of Terminal 4 at Madrid's Barajas International Airport. Minister of Interior Rubalcaba said that one person is missing and several were lightly injured. Rubalcaba expressed his conviction that ETA had undertaken the attack. Terminal 4 is the primary international terminal at Barajas and services flights for Iberia and Iberia codeshare. Initial reports indicated that there were at least five persons who were lightly injured, three of whom were police officers, but Rubalcaba subsequently noted the fact that a person was missing. Press reports and official sources say that the explosion followed three telephone calls in the space of 35 minutes from anonymous callers to authorities in Madrid and in the Basque Region, with one caller indicating that the terrorist group ETA had undertaken the attack. Flights at Terminal 4 were suspended until 2 p.m. local time, but flights at all other terminals are operating as normally scheduled. The Ambassador contacted FM Moratinos' chief of staff to relay the USG's concern and readiness to assist. The DCM contacted MFA DG for North America Jose Pons and Minister of Interior Chief of Staff Gregorio Martinez to convey the same message. The Ambassador convened an Emergency Action Committee (EAC) meeting to review the Mission's security posture; RSO and the Consular Section took measures to enhance Mission security and advise US citizens of the threat. This is a very significant domestic political event in Spain and a severe blow to hopes for peace in the Basque Region. End Summary. //APPARENT ETA BOMBING// ¶2. (U) A large car bomb detonated at 9 a.m. Madrid local time on December 30 in a public parking garage outside of Terminal 4 at Madrid's Barajas International Airport. Latest press reports indicate that five people were lightly injured in the attack, including three police officers. One person, a male who was picking up a passenger, is missing. The blast severely damaged the parking garage and shook buildings several miles away. Spanish authorities were advised by anonymous callers at 7:55 a.m., 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. that a device was set to explode shortly after 9:00 a.m. The first call was made to a roadside emergency service company in the Basque Region and was a general threat advising of a bombing to take place at Barajas airport around 9 a.m. The second call was to Madrid's firefighting service with a similar warning, though with additional details regarding the vehicle that carried the bomb. The third and final call was made 30 minutes prior to the detonation and informed the "112" emergency service (similar to 911) in the Basque Region of details of the Renault "Traffic" vehicle that contained the bomb, including the color of the vehicle and license plate information. According to press reports, the second and third calls announced the attack in the name of ETA. If ETA did carry out the bombing, it would be its first strike since announcing a "permanent cease fire" on March 22, 2006. //AIR TRAFFIC DISRUPTED// ¶3. (U) Security officials moved hundreds of passengers from Terminal 4 onto a tarmac while the terminal was searched for any additional explosives. Flights from Terminal 4 were suspended until 2 p.m., but flights from all other three terminals continued as scheduled. //SPANISH GOVERNMENT REACTION// ¶4. (U) The attack came one day after President Zapatero had expressed confidence that the situation in the Basque Region would improve in the coming year. The Spanish Government indicated that it would withhold comment until police had completed their initial investigation. However, they immediately increased security measures throughout the Madrid area. Press reports indicate that President Zapatero MADRID 00003111 002.2 OF 003 contacted Popular Party (PP) leader Mariano Rajoy to inform him that Spanish security forces strongly suspected ETA authorship of the attacks. Rajoy issued a statement calling on the Zapatero Government to halt its peace talks with ETA. //MINISTER OF INTERIOR - "ETA DID THIS"// ¶5. (U) Minister of Interior Rubalcaba convened a 1 p.m. press conference, where he stated unequivocally that ETA had carried out the attack, which he called a "potent, very significant explosion." He told reporters that police were searching for one individual who was missing; he had been in the parking area waiting for an arriving passenger and could not be located after the explosion. He said that there had been no warning from ETA that it would terminate its cease fire, as had happened in previous cease fires. Rubalcaba condemned the attack, said that the violence was "incompatible with dialogue" (a reference to Government talks with ETA and its political front Batasuna),and announced that President Zapatero would issue a statement later in the day. Rubalcaba said that this incident represented a "good opportunity for Batasuna to explain to the Spanish people whether or not it believes in democracy." Batasuna leader Arnaldo Otegi is scheduled to issue a statement at 5 p.m. //EMBASSY CONTACTS SPANISH OFFICIALS// ¶6. (SBU) Upon learning of the bombing, the Ambassador contacted Javier Sancho, Chief of Staff to Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, and to CHOD General Sanz to convey the USG's concern and to offer USG assistance if needed. The DCM contacted MFA Director General for North America and Europe Jose Pons to relay a similar message. Pons informed the DCM of the information he had available and said that the Government would not make any public statements until it had obtained as much information as possible. The DCM also contacted Gregorio Martinez, Chief of Staff to Minister of Interior Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba (who has the lead in ongoing peace negotiations with ETA). Martinez was with Minister Rubalcaba, who was reviewing the facts of the attack with his key security officials. ¶7. (SBU) Mission staff are in contact with National Police and other security officials involved in the case. Police officials confirmed details suggesting the attack had been carried out by ETA. //AMBASSADOR CONVENES EAC MEETING// ¶8. (SBU) The Ambassador convened a meeting of the EAC at 11:45 a.m. local time. The meeting included the DCM and representatives from RSO, the Consular Section, TSA, Public Affairs, ORA, DHS/ICE, the Political Section, and the Embassy Duty Officer. EAC members reviewed the Embassy's security posture. RSO determined that there was no heightened risk to the Mission or its personnel as a result of this attack, noting that the Mission was already in a heightened security posture in response to the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. There is no indication that this attack was directed against American personnel or U.S. interests in Spain. The Consular Section, which had just issued a Warden Message regarding the execution of Saddam Hussein, issued a second warden message advising U.S. citizens of this attack and warning them to take appropriate precautions while traveling and in public areas. The Duty Officer reported few calls thus far connected to disruptions or problems related to the bombing at Barajas. //COMMENT// ¶9. (SBU) This attack represents a major domestic political development, as Zapatero has invested significant political capital in the Basque peace process. Tensions had increased markedly over the last six weeks, as Basque extremists accused the Government of failing to open a path to Batasuna participation in the political process and the Government had MADRID 00003111 003.2 OF 003 responded that Batasuna had to formally renounce ETA violence in order to be given legal status. There is some speculation that this attack was carried out by an ETA faction rather than with the support of the entire organization. The 5 p.m. declaration by Batasuna will mark an important point in the political reaction to this attack. AGUIRRE