Spanish embassy holds rally against bombings

12 March 2004

AMSTERDAM — The Spanish embassy is holding a rally in The Hague on Friday evening for people who wish to express their outrage at the Madrid bombings, which killed at least 198 people on Thursday.

An embassy spokesman said on Friday that a large number of emails and telephone calls were received by the embassy on Thursday and Friday from both Spanish nationals living in the Netherlands and Dutch people.

The spokesman said the embassy decided to organise a demonstration to give these people a chance to express their outrage and sorrow following the series of bombings.

He also said the embassy had not yet obtained a permit for the rally, but was confident that its request would not be denied, newspaper De Telegraaf reported.

The demonstration is planned to start at 7pm on Friday across from the Spanish embassy on the Lange Voorhout in The Hague.

At least 198 people were killed and about 1,400 were wounded in the bomb attacks on commuter trains in Madrid on Thursday and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said the resulting investigation will cover all possible angles.

Clues so far uncovered appear to implicate either the Basque separatist group ETA or Islamic militants, BBC reported

Flags were hanging at half-mast at schools and on government buildings on Friday as Spain begun three days of official mourning.

Subject: Dutch news