Second bomb blast hits Spain - Two police officers killed on Mallorca

Second bomb blast hits Spain - Two police officers killed on Mallorca
By Mark Mulligan in Madrid
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
Published: July 30 2009 14:28 | Last updated: July 30 2009 16:22
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/701e4d6c-7d0a-11de-9f29-00144feabdc0.html


Two police officers were killed and others injured on Thursday when a bomb went off outside a Civil Guard station on Mallorca, in the Spanish Balearic islands.

If confirmed as the work of Eta, it would be the second attack by the violent Basque separatist group against the paramilitary police force in as many days. More than 60 people were injured on Wednesday when a powerful car bomb was detonated outside a 14-storey barracks complex in Burgos, in the north of the country. In both cases, there was no warning of the type normally used by the extremist group.

The attacks point to an escalation of violence by Eta, which has killed more than 825 people since launching its armed campaign for Basque independence 40 years ago.

Attempts by the Socialist government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to reach a peace agreement with the extremists collapsed in December 2006, when the group blew up a multi-storied car park at Madrid’s Barajas airport, killing two people.

Violent activity by the organisation has gradually escalated since then, with attacks often triggered by judicial or police action against its members or political rank and file.

In the last fatal attack before Thursday’s bombing, a police inspector in the Basque country was killed last month when a limpet bomb went off under his car.

Early reports from Mallorca indicate that two Civil Guard officers stationed in Palmanova, west of the island capital Palma, were killed in similar fashion, by a bomb placed under their car. There were also reports of serious injury.

Despite being weakened in recent years by the erosion of its political base, and the high-profile capture of many of its commanders, there are now clear signs that at least one Eta cell has chosen this summer holiday period to launch a fresh terror campaign.

Analysts say that waning support for the group in the Basque country, and the success of a co-ordinated Franco-Spanish anti-terrorist campaign, has pushed the group to flex its muscles.

“This [attack] reminds us that until Eta disappears altogether, it will continue to kill and maim,” said Joseba Arregi, a political analyst in the Basque country.

“It is true they have greatly reduced operational capacity; it is also true that they don’t always succeed when they set out to kill. However, this does not mean that they are not willing and able to cause death and serious injury.”

The separatists have often in the past targeted holidaymakers on the country’s northern and Mediterranean coasts in low-level campaigns aimed more at disruption than death or injury.

The attack was immediately condemned by the government and opposition parties.

Blast adds to Spain’s tourism woes

The attack on the Mediterranean holiday island of Mallorca comes at an exceptionally bad time for Spain’s tourism sector, which has been severely hit by recession in feeder markets such as the UK and Germany, writes Mark Mulligan.

Recent figures showed that the number of visitors to the country’s beaches and cities dropped 11 per cent year on year in the first six months. The government last week announced measures aimed at easing the effect of the downturn.

Mallorca, which has long been popular with British and German visitors and serves as the base for many of Spain’s travel companies, is among the areas worst affected by the slowdown.

Although the attack was directed at the Civil Guard – a traditional nemesis for Eta, which is suspected of carrying it out – the bomb also appeared to be aimed at disrupting the movement of tourists just ahead of the busiest holiday month of the year.

In an update to its travel advice on Thursday, the UK’s Foreign Office warned visitors to be on high alert, noting the proximity of the Civil Guard barracks to a tourist area.

There were scenes of chaos around Spain as the government ordered the closure of the island’s international airport, the third-busiest in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona.

The airport closure affected thousands of holidaymakers as flights were turned back or diverted.

Spanish tourism officials sought to emphasise that the attack had not been aimed directly at tourists and urged foreign visitors not to overreact.