BREAKING NEWS
Spain arrests five over bombings
Spanish
authorities have arrested five suspects in connection with the Madrid blasts
which killed 200 people.
"All of them [have been arrested."
Interior Minister Angel Acebes told a news conference three Moroccans and two Indians were being held. The suspects may have links with extremist Moroccan groups, the minister said, but it was still too early to confirm this. The news comes as the first funerals for the victims of the bombings take place in the capital and across Spain.
Mobile phone
The five suspects were arrested in different parts of the capital, and were handed to the country's High Court which is in charge of investigating the attacks, the minister said. "Early this afternoon, members of the National Police corps made five arrests, three of citizens of Moroccan nationality, two citizens of Indian nationality, and there are two other Spaniards of Indian origin from whom statements are being taken now," he said. "All of them [have been arrested] for suspected involvement in the sale and falsification of the mobile [phone] and [pay] card which were found in the bag [containing a bomb] which failed to explode." Earlier, hundreds of protesters held a noisy rally in Madrid accusing the government of manipulating facts about the attackers. They told reporters the government had been trying to promote the theory that Basque separatist group Eta was responsible for its own political advantage ahead of Sunday's general elections.
Tears of a nation
Meanwhile, the first funeral masses have been taking place in the capital and other cities. Thousands of people have turned up at cemeteries, funeral homes and religious services to mourn those killed. In Alcala de Henares, the commuter town east of Madrid where the bombed trains had started their journeys, up to 1,000 people crammed into a gymnasium to remember some 30 local people killed. "We have buried a son, 23 years old, a son full of his future," said one father dressed in black. "We are all overwhelmed." "Alcala is broken," said Mayor Bartolome Gonzalez. In Tanatorio Sur, Madrid's biggest funeral home, lack of space meant coffins had to be placed in staff rooms. Distraught families have been coming to sit in vigil.My son. Why?" one elderly woman sobbed. The funerals will continue throughout the day, with the last in the Basque city of San Sebastian scheduled for early evening. On Friday evening up to 11 million people turned out in heavy rain to protest against the violence in towns and cities across Spain.