The Dark Legacy of the 11M Massacre
Two decades after the tragic massacre of March 11, 2004, which shook the foundations of Spain, former president José María Aznar has broken his silence, trying to unravel the mystery that still surrounds that fateful day.
Aznar Breaks the Silence, Defending His Management
Through his foundation, Faes, Aznar has issued a statement in which he vigorously defends his government’s actions in the hours and days following the attack. He affirms that they never received any official document that definitively ruled out ETA’s responsibility and attributed responsibility without a doubt to the jihadists.
Accusations of Tampering and Heating
Faes’ statement accuses certain left-wing media of manipulating information and heating up the atmosphere around the anniversary to hide their own shame. Aznar maintains that they neither kept true facts silent nor accepted repeated lies.
Taking shelter in Initial Reactions
Aznar tries to justify his government’s management based on the initial political and media reactions, which were influenced by ETA’s habit of carrying out attacks.
The Faes foundation cites the first news from the Ser channel, the reactions of the then PSOE candidate, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and the statements of other political leaders as proof that the ETA track was the priority.
The Kangoo Van and the Arabic Tape
Faes acknowledges that the Kangoo van found in Alcalá de Henares with detonators and a tape in Arabic opened a new line of investigation, but maintains that the ETA trail remained the main one.
Despite the appearances of senior government officials defending ETA’s responsibility, Aznar affirms that the appearance of the van only opened a new line of investigation.
The Vallecas Backpack and the Jihadist Claim
Faes’ statement also mentions Vallecas’ backpack, which contained explosives and did not detonate. According to the foundation, its content led to the first arrests, but the intelligence services did not change their position.
The day before, a British media published a note in which international Islamist terrorism claimed responsibility for the massacre.
The CNI and the Islamic Track
Faes maintains that the director of the CNI denied the information that attributed him to solid knowledge of the Islamic track as early as Thursday, March 11 or Friday, March 12.
Aznar concludes by stating that his government did not ignore any police or intelligence report that contradicted its attitude or its communication policy during those days.
An Unsolved Enigma
Despite Aznar’s attempts to clarify his government’s management, the enigma surrounding the 11M massacre remains unsolved. Questions about the veracity of the information provided by the government, possible political manipulation and the true authorship of the attack continue to torment Spanish society.
The legacy of that tragic day continues to be a reminder of the need for transparency, accountability and the relentless pursuit of truth.
