Asociación de Víctimas del Terrorismo
Encyclopedia
The Association of Victims of Terrorism is a Spanish association created in 1981 by victims of terrorist attacks. Its members include those injured in terrorist attacks, and their families, by ETA
, GRAPO, the Provisional Irish Republican Army
and Al Qaeda. It has a membership of 6,000
Its current president is Francisco José Alcaraz. Alcaraz has recently been indicted for slandering the Spanish government.
During the presidency of Jose Maria Aznar
, the AVT advocated political positions criticized as extreme
, including conspiracy theories regarding the Madrid train bombings
. This led to the creation of other terror victims' associations with a less divisive political agenda.
This association has also promoted a campaign against other Basque nationalist organizations, such as the political party Batasuna
, Jarrai or Gestoras pro Amnistía, as well as music groups such as Su Ta Gar which it accuses of supporting Basque terrorism.
However, the AVT has thereafter expressed doubts about the conclussion reached by the Spanish Judiciary.
In the aforementioned document the AVT asks why there are no pictures of the alleged perpetrators, like in the 7 July 2005 London bombings
, why is unknown the type of explosives that went off in the trains, why there are so much Spanish police informer
s among the alleged perpetrators, how is possible that the alleged perpetrators were under surveillance and infiltrated by the Spanish and how is possible that a Spanish policeman (Maussili Kalaji) liberated the cellular phones used in the bombings, and that a Guardia Civil agent provided weapons to the alleged perpetrators.
Other victim associations from the 11 March attacks include the Asociación Afectados de Terrorismo, headed by Pilar Manjón. This other association does not share the same interests and points of view on the attacks as the AVT.
, vowed to start a negotiation under the condition that ETA renounce violence unequivocally and stop all terrorist acts, not only killings (where policemen, the military and city councillors had traditionally been ETA's main targets) but also street sabotage and blackmailing businessmen .
Based upon suspicion that political concession may be behind this negotiation (such as the recognition of self-determination, an amnesty or release of ETA prisoners or uniting Navarre to the Basque Country) has led the AVT to oppose this process and call up to several demonstrations which have had the full support of Spain's main opposition party, the conservative Partido Popular
.
However, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE) denies these claims and reminds the opposition of its attitude during a previous ETA truce in 1998, where peace talks were established between the then-in-power party, the PP (led by José María Aznar
), and Basque terrorists. The PSOE, then in the opposition, supported this move, unlike the PP now .
Other associations of ETA victims include Covite (Colectivo de Víctimas del Terrorismo), representing most of victims from the Basque Country itself.
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
, GRAPO, the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
and Al Qaeda. It has a membership of 6,000
Its current president is Francisco José Alcaraz. Alcaraz has recently been indicted for slandering the Spanish government.
During the presidency of Jose Maria Aznar
José María Aznar
José María Alfredo Aznar López served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004. He is on the board of directors of News Corporation.-Early life:...
, the AVT advocated political positions criticized as extreme
Extremism
Extremism is any ideology or political act far outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common moral standards...
, including conspiracy theories regarding the Madrid train bombings
Controversies about the 2004 Madrid train bombings
-Accuracy of government statements:The conservative PP government was accused of falsely blaming Euskadi Ta Askatasuna for the attacks. The very day of the attacks, police officials informed the Government that explosives usually used by ETA were found at the blast sites. This, along with other...
. This led to the creation of other terror victims' associations with a less divisive political agenda.
This association has also promoted a campaign against other Basque nationalist organizations, such as the political party Batasuna
Batasuna
Batasuna was a Basque nationalist political party based mainly in Spain, where it was outlawed in 2003, after a court ruling declared proven that the party was financing ETA with public money. Batasuna is included in the "European Union list of terrorist persons and organizations" as a component...
, Jarrai or Gestoras pro Amnistía, as well as music groups such as Su Ta Gar which it accuses of supporting Basque terrorism.
Stance on the 11 March 2004 train bombings (11-M)
On 11 March 2004 a series of explosions occurring at rush hour in several of Madrid's train stations left 192 dead and some 1,900 wounded.However, the AVT has thereafter expressed doubts about the conclussion reached by the Spanish Judiciary.
In the aforementioned document the AVT asks why there are no pictures of the alleged perpetrators, like in the 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
, why is unknown the type of explosives that went off in the trains, why there are so much Spanish police informer
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
s among the alleged perpetrators, how is possible that the alleged perpetrators were under surveillance and infiltrated by the Spanish and how is possible that a Spanish policeman (Maussili Kalaji) liberated the cellular phones used in the bombings, and that a Guardia Civil agent provided weapons to the alleged perpetrators.
Other victim associations from the 11 March attacks include the Asociación Afectados de Terrorismo, headed by Pilar Manjón. This other association does not share the same interests and points of view on the attacks as the AVT.
Opposition to negotiation with terrorists
On March 2006 ETA declared a 'permanent cease-fire' and pushed towards a 'solution for the political conflict in the Basque Country'. Spain's Socialist government, headed by José Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
, vowed to start a negotiation under the condition that ETA renounce violence unequivocally and stop all terrorist acts, not only killings (where policemen, the military and city councillors had traditionally been ETA's main targets) but also street sabotage and blackmailing businessmen .
Based upon suspicion that political concession may be behind this negotiation (such as the recognition of self-determination, an amnesty or release of ETA prisoners or uniting Navarre to the Basque Country) has led the AVT to oppose this process and call up to several demonstrations which have had the full support of Spain's main opposition party, the conservative Partido Popular
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
.
However, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
(PSOE) denies these claims and reminds the opposition of its attitude during a previous ETA truce in 1998, where peace talks were established between the then-in-power party, the PP (led by José María Aznar
José María Aznar
José María Alfredo Aznar López served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004. He is on the board of directors of News Corporation.-Early life:...
), and Basque terrorists. The PSOE, then in the opposition, supported this move, unlike the PP now .
Other associations of ETA victims include Covite (Colectivo de Víctimas del Terrorismo), representing most of victims from the Basque Country itself.