It’s not difficult to see how the arrests in Spain (as well as a videotaped claim of ‘credit’) could point to the involvement of an Islamist group in the Madrid atrocity. It will be a while, doubtless, before we know for sure. Sadly, finding out the truth may be also be complicated by domestic political considerations in Spain (today is an election day). If ETA was responsible for the murders this may well be seen as justifying the government’s tough line on Basque separatism. If al Qaeda (or a related group) turn out to be the perpetrators, the argument is bound to be made that the government have brought this tragedy upon Spain by supporting the US in Iraq. To think that would be a mistake. The aim of the Islamic extreme is, quite simply, the destruction of western civilization: our books, our learning, our culture, our freedoms, our everything. It’s all of us. It’s you, and it’s me. The order in which these terrorists select their victims is just a detail, just part of a greater plan.

Writing in the London Observer David Aaronovitch sees an analogy:

“How shall we imagine [the bombers], though? Sitting around a kitchen table in a suburban apartment perhaps, with glasses of apple juice or tea, pieces of paper scattered about, covered in diagrams and sketch maps. How many devices? Thirteen should do it, packed with nails, because that really increases their effectiveness. Where placed? All on suburban trains timed to get into the central station in the same period. If it goes to plan we should be able to kill or maim possibly hundreds of commuters. Which will be a great victory. Good luck! God bless!

“This is a picture of a minor Wannsee that must have happened in some form, a conference of technicians planning the deliberate deaths of innocents. Where the whole point was the deliberate deaths of innocents.”