Clandestino
03-02-2005, 01:17 PM
8 minutes ago World - Reuters
By Ellen Wulfhorst
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The bombers who blew up crowded commuter trains in Madrid last year had plans of New York's Grand Central Terminal, but nothing in them suggested an immediate attack threat, U.S. authorities said Wednesday.
The plans, which included hand-made drawings and other "highly specialized technical information," were found on a computer disk seized from the home of one of the suspects, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported. It cited sources close to the Madrid investigation.
However, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly played down the significance of the material, calling it "basic drawings" and "not an operational plan."
"It is not something that would indicate an immediate threat to a facility," Kelly said at a news conference in New York.
"Nothing in this newer material has caused us to make changes in our security plans or procedures," he said.
The drawings show the large terminal area and an adjacent room, Kelly said.
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it had received information from Spanish authorities involved in the bombing probe but also played down its value.
"The information the U.S. government received about Grand Central station was not specific or technical and U.S. authorities do not believe that the information would be useful for developing any operational plans," said Homeland Security spokesman Brian Roehrkasse.
"However out of an abundance of caution, federal officials did pass on the information to local officials in New York," he said.
The disk was confiscated within two weeks of the attacks on March 11, 2004, that killed 191 people in Madrid, but Spanish investigators did not warn the FBI (news - web sites) and the CIA (news - web sites) until December when the full scope of the technical information became clear, El Mundo said.
"Prosecutors at the High Court have informed the FBI and the CIA that the perpetrators of the March 11 attacks had in their possession plans to attack Grand Central Station in New York," the newspaper said.
The disk was found in the home of a man arrested on suspicion of playing a role in the attacks that rocked Spain three days before a general election, El Mundo said.
The suspect, who El Mundo said had a relationship with other men formally accused in the probe, was released from jail but remains under suspicion.
Ten bombs hidden in sports bags exploded on board four packed commuter trains last March 11. The attack was claimed by men saying they acted in the name of al Qaeda in Europe in response to Spain sending troops to Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites).
The same group is suspected of planting a bomb on a high-speed rail line south of Madrid a few days after the deadly attacks, and seven prime suspects later blew themselves up in a suburban Madrid apartment when surrounded by police.
Some 70 people have been arrested in the criminal investigation, about half of whom remain in jail or under court supervision.
By Ellen Wulfhorst
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The bombers who blew up crowded commuter trains in Madrid last year had plans of New York's Grand Central Terminal, but nothing in them suggested an immediate attack threat, U.S. authorities said Wednesday.
The plans, which included hand-made drawings and other "highly specialized technical information," were found on a computer disk seized from the home of one of the suspects, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported. It cited sources close to the Madrid investigation.
However, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly played down the significance of the material, calling it "basic drawings" and "not an operational plan."
"It is not something that would indicate an immediate threat to a facility," Kelly said at a news conference in New York.
"Nothing in this newer material has caused us to make changes in our security plans or procedures," he said.
The drawings show the large terminal area and an adjacent room, Kelly said.
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it had received information from Spanish authorities involved in the bombing probe but also played down its value.
"The information the U.S. government received about Grand Central station was not specific or technical and U.S. authorities do not believe that the information would be useful for developing any operational plans," said Homeland Security spokesman Brian Roehrkasse.
"However out of an abundance of caution, federal officials did pass on the information to local officials in New York," he said.
The disk was confiscated within two weeks of the attacks on March 11, 2004, that killed 191 people in Madrid, but Spanish investigators did not warn the FBI (news - web sites) and the CIA (news - web sites) until December when the full scope of the technical information became clear, El Mundo said.
"Prosecutors at the High Court have informed the FBI and the CIA that the perpetrators of the March 11 attacks had in their possession plans to attack Grand Central Station in New York," the newspaper said.
The disk was found in the home of a man arrested on suspicion of playing a role in the attacks that rocked Spain three days before a general election, El Mundo said.
The suspect, who El Mundo said had a relationship with other men formally accused in the probe, was released from jail but remains under suspicion.
Ten bombs hidden in sports bags exploded on board four packed commuter trains last March 11. The attack was claimed by men saying they acted in the name of al Qaeda in Europe in response to Spain sending troops to Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites).
The same group is suspected of planting a bomb on a high-speed rail line south of Madrid a few days after the deadly attacks, and seven prime suspects later blew themselves up in a suburban Madrid apartment when surrounded by police.
Some 70 people have been arrested in the criminal investigation, about half of whom remain in jail or under court supervision.