Spain’s allies, especially those that — like Madrid — backed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, stepped up security on Friday in case the bombers who killed nearly 200 people on Spanish trains should strike again elsewhere. Although Spanish authorities said it was still most likely that Basque separatist group ETA was behind Thursday’s blasts, the possibility al Qaeda or another Islamic group was to blame led countries that felt vulnerable to take precautions. Italy, which like Spain has troops supporting U.S. occupation forces in Iraq, raised security measures nationwide. “Yesterday, a message was sent to town councils, police stations and other civil authorities to heighten their security measures,” an Interior Ministry official said. “Vigilance has remained high and we are intensifying our information gathering.” Muslim militants last November killed 19 Italians in a suicide attack on a military police barracks in southern Iraq. Full Story
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