Erik la Chapelle
Class of 2003

FROM ERIK IN MADRID:

May 5, 2004:

What is your Definition of Terrorism?"

Written by Erik la Chapelle

I don´t want to die in a terrorist attack. I don´t want to die due to an explosion someone caused with the intention of creating pain, death and suffering not only for the victims, but for their families too.

I don´t want to die in some subway station, choking on gas attacking my nervous system, along with some other innocent victims; victims who were just minding their business, going to school, work, or reading about politics.

I don´t want my death to be labelled as "Collateral Damage" or "Friendly Fire". I don´t want to be a casualty of a political expression against our government, against our culture, against our political relations, against our embargos, against nothing.

Every terrorist that kills, assaults and brutalizes innocent people is at the bottom of my list of worthiness.

Even the terrorists who aren´t considered "Terrorists" who terrorize with bombs, tanks, guns, and the death penalty using public funds, are also on my list of unworthiness, along with all the other terrorists.

Those who create the law define it as well, and wage war against terrorism, terrorizing as they go.

Eye for an Eye, Muslim for a Jew, Terrorist for a Terrorist, Nation for a Nation, People for a People, Family for a Family.

It´s a war between David and Goliath, a Big Tree vs. a Small Axe, each one using what they have, and each one causing the same result every time: Death, Destruction, and Terror.

So you tell me in your definition who the terrorists are, what they look like; Turban and Dashiki, Suit and Tie, Army Green Camouflage.

Sometimes I wonder how in a war already being waged, without a declaration, a people so poor and helpless defend themselves against such powerful technologically advanced Weapons of Terror.

And then I wonder what the difference of the end result is between a bomb exploding from a plane and using planes to explode as bombs.

Terrorists can strike anytime and any place; "at the time of their choosing;" "with, or without a declaration, or resolution." That´s what creates the terror.

Many times the terrorists aren´t present during the attack or commit suicide attacking, leaving no easy method to capture and punish the guilty.

What someone does not see, does not feel or know nearly as well as someone who sees, and therefore, knows, and feels.

Some Nations have the "Mother of all Bombs", and some Organizations between Many Nations have the cooperation and intelligence to create Weapons of Mass Destruction they Don´t Possess.

I wonder sometimes why terrorism exists. I also wonder why the terrorist alert goes from orange to red as the Coalition becomes closer and closer to waging war.

By the way, whatever did happen to those Weapons of Mass Destruction?

Massive amounts of Weapons of Destruction were dropped on Iraq.

I don´t want to die in a terrorist attack.

But then again, what am I going to do?

Stop taking the Subway?  

April 14, 2004:

Well, the recent planned attacks in Madrid are, once again, sad, confusing and difficult to understand in the moment that they occur, or the moment that one gets word of the news. I was in San Sebastian, the Basque Country, just last weekend on vacation for Easter when I read that a bomb was found on the train tracks of the Ave, Spain’s high speed train that goes in-between Madrid and Sevilla. Moreover, we went by train and were going to return on the train to Madrid. The terrorists hadn’t yet connected what might have been an electronic detonator that would have been used to activate the bomb just when the train was passing over. Once again, those responsible come from an Islamic group based in Northern Africa and tied to Al Qaeda. The very next day, a raid by a special forces police group in Leganes, a pueblo like the ones attacked on the 11th of March, situated outside of Madrid, ended in a horrific scene when 5 Moroccans committed what was a suicide defense attack b y setting off plastic explosives attached to themselves as special forces police were breaking into the apartment. One policeman was killed and several others injured. The facade was destroyed in a major part of the building. Documents were found that showed plans for another attack similar to that of March 11th and to be carried out in the next few days.

I know in the last e-mail I had mentioned that I believed that Al Qaeda and its allies had no more business in Spain. I was wrong. Now, all of a sudden, there are reported threats of massive attacks throughout Europe. Spain is on high alert and it feels that way. The metro is one spot that is being heavily monitered and has been threatened. The atmosphere is similar to that of U.S. shortly after September 11th.

It seemed that the March 11 attacks were out of the blue, yet right now there is a high tension, especially in Madrid, as possible future attacks are lurking. Trains are constantly being searched (commuter trains like the ones attacked on March 11, regional trains that arrive to Madrid, and the Metro). There are also less people on the public transport systems. I think the main question that everyone out here wants answered is, why Spain? Is it the participation in the Iraq conflict? Is it because Spain is an easy entrance into Europe for many North-Africans with ties to Islamic terror? Is it our western ideals and occidental culture that conflicts and influences the part of the world across the Mediterranean? All of these questions might have an affirmative answer.

As it turns out, many of those working for Islamic terrorist organizations have been “hiding out” in Spain for quite some time. Mentioned in Spain’s leading newspaper “El Pais” the Algerian Mohammed Bensahkria, Essid Jami Benkhemais from Tunisia and several others have been attracted to Spain due to its "friendly residents" and liberal stance on immigration. Also Spain, which has always been an isolated part of Europe and a connecting point between North Africa and Europe, has been the pathway through to other European countries like France and Germany for Islamic terror networks and their finance. It seems there has been a dormant cell of terrorist organizations brewing the during the last decade right here in the tranquil land of sangria and tapas. Spain has hardly had many political enemies since the the time of Franco’s death. Of course it has faced an interior mafia-like form of terror with ETA, but never has it been an area of interest for Islamic terror attacks. Y et countries like France, England, Italy and other other european countries have experienced terror before: In Rome the attempt to poison the public water in the streets planned by the Tunisian named Saber fortunately failed; in France the suicide attempt at the United States Embassy didn’t succeed; and in London the Algerian Merouane Benhmed, an expert in chemical weapons, failed in his attempt to poison the metro.

It’s clear the war with Iraq has had some consequences. As I mentioned before in the previous e-mail, I had seen a news report showing a letter from an Islamic terrorist organization claiming that its damage in Spain would be (now it’s a little more clear) halted if and when the Spanish troops leave Iraq and refrain from alliances with the United States involving military presence and dominance in that part of the world. So it seems like those involved in the attacks aren’t waiting for June 30th to roll around to see what Spain decides. Yet, there always seem to be many reports of information coming from Islamic terrorists that make contradicting claims.

With the recent footage of Japanese civilians in Iraq threatened with knives at the throat and demonstrated to the world through the press, it seems the message is clear; anyone tied to any country involved in the war is at risk. And the ball now lies on the side of the politicians to make a decision. Countries like Spain may be seen as caving in to pressure if its troops are pulled after an attack like the one on March 11th. Yet Zapatero had promised to do this before the attacks if he were to be elected. However, if the attacks continue against innocent civilians of various countries involved in the war, it may also be seen as an indirect, or a direct consequence of the government’s participation. For example, during time of the invasion, it was estimated that around 90% of the Spanish population was against the intervention. Yet it was the working population that suffered a year later and that faces threats on a daily basis.

In my opinion, demanding that the soldiers participating in the war in Iraq leave, isn’t too much to ask for Spain or for Iraq. I do not back the violent methods of this demand on the part of the Islamic terror networks, yet I can´t say that it wasn´t foreseen. If one saw this war as illegal, it would be hard to hold those accountable for what they see as defending their own country. In this I do not refer to terror attacks in Madrid or anywhere else in the world. I refer to the defense of their own nation, that which has been invaded and destroyed. In no way would I ever support a violent message. But the message is being delivered, and it is easy to look at our intervention as a major cause for somewhat of a new global crisis that is being waged using terror. Not only terror in the form of terrorism that we normally perceive it to be, yet terror on the other side of the coin, which is waged through military violence and occupation. And the sad part is that it’s the civilians that suffer these consequences more than anyone else. Innocent civilians.

March 31, 2004:

To All:

The madness of two thursdays ago is settling a little, and I´ve been taking the train once again. The logic is that two bombs don´t fall in the same place. The way I see this whole thing is Al Qaeda has pretty much determined Spain´s elections. Almost everyone out here thinks that the Partido Popular would have won if it hadn´t been for the attacks. Also,the reaction the Spanish citizens was quite interesting regarding the information that the government was giving them about ETA and whether or not it was committed by them or Al Qaeda. Non-coincidentally, in my view, a tape was put foreward by Al Qaeda the day before the elections claiming responsibility for the attacks. I believe they saw Spain, and the trains, as a vulnerable target to express to the world the consequences that the war in Iraq will bring and has brought to those who support it.

They attack anything related to the U.S. occupation, such as the United Nations in Iraq, the Red Cross for God´s sake, and even Iraqui police officers working under the new provisional government. I also believe this attack was a way to remove the Partido Popular, Aznar´s government, from office, and make their point clear that anyone who supports the U.S. and their occupation is vulnerable.

Al Qaeda has now supposedly released a letter stating that they have no more business in Spain if the new government does at it has promised; that is, refrain from alliances with the U.S. that are, in particular, regarding occupation and military force in that part of the world (Middle East). Yet, The credibility of this letter could be questionable.

I had thought about this right after the attack, and I believe on Monday (15th of March, and also the first day I was going back on the trains), it hit me. Al Qaeda has no more reason to attack Spain again. They´ve made their impact and have done their damage. And now, especially, they don´t have a reason to attack in the Cercanias train stations or trains. There aresecurity measures that have been taken and there are many police officers in the trains and at the stations.

The way I see it, you either get caught in a terrorist attack or you don´t. I´m no better off driving to work than I am taking the bus, than I am taking the train. At best the train is the safest of the three and I could just as easily get in an auto-accident or struck by lightning. Although, it is difficult mentally to remain calm on the trains. There are a lot less people that are using the train and the atmosphere is very quiet and humble.

I´m glad that Zapatero has been elected and has already mentioned That "You can´t combat terrorism with war" and that he plans to withdraw Spain´s troops in June if the authority in Iraq is not transferred to the United Nations by the date promised, something I approve. Yet in the U.S., and I even hear Kerry saying this, they don´t approve of this idea. I say the hell with the pacts or treaties made between Spain, England and the U.S. becaus the whole war was illegal anyway. Also, it´s probably the best thing right now for Spain, and it´s not like they have very many troops out there anyway. The U.S. needs to turn to the United Nations and begin to withdraw its military little by little. The violence stems from our occupation. It´s clear that we can´t leave the Country after we´ve totally destroyed it, along with its political and economic sectors.

Yet a country like Spain, which is very much to itself and peaceful (except Aznar´s intervention in the war) now faces both internal and external terrorism! Why?

The Basques are nothing more than a Mafia. They usually go after political figures, mayors, or police officers. Their largest attack killed 21 people in a shopping center in Barcelona. Yet, they were planning an attack in what´s known as the Corredor de Henares, which consists of all the pueblos in between Madrid and Alcalá de Henares including the two cities. It´s also the route the trains make. Yet many concluded that this attack was way too massive to have been committed by ETA, although, it was committed in their style (back-packs with bombs left on trains).

The attack on the 11th of March was intended to bring down the frontal part of Atocha, if all the bombs had exploded inside the train station, as planned. At this hour, this would have easily killed 1500-2000 people. We´re talking another 9/11. ETA should be humbled by this attack and hopefully this could put a halt to them for a while.

So, Bush has to go, and although I´m not a huge Kerry fan, I´ll take him over Bush any day. I just hope we can all learn from this event on the 11th of March. Never has this been something that has affected me so much. Whatever we can do to prevent this from happening is what we need to do. Yet we need to do it with the understanding that war is not the solution. A war directly against Al Qaeda maybe. But first, using diplomacy and international relations as a means of combat.

I hope all are well, wherever they are, and that changes are made quickly.

Peace and love,
Erik La Chapelle

Erik la Chapelle
enriqueglassyeyes@yahoo.com

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