Despite the fact that this morning has seen a dramatic announcement by somebody claiming to represent Al Qaeda, assuming resonsibility for the 11M massacre, there are still some very worrying questions to be answered.
One of the most vexing concerns the technology used in detonating these bombs. Specifically, the bombers appear to have used a mobile-phone detonator system. While the details of this are rather unclear, one thing is unmistakable: this is a technology used by and invented by the Real IRA.
According to a report in today's Sunday Independent: "The Real IRA perfected the mobile-phone bomb, which it tested in south Armagh in late 2000. A highly-sophisticated bomb using two mobile phones linked to each other - to avoid electronic jamming by security forces - was discovered in Derry in February 2001. The mobile-phone bomb in a parked car was to have been detonated as a police patrol passed by. " (http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1145344&issue_id=10585)
ETA have never used these bombs before.
In addition, security reports indicate that members of the Real IRA are supposed to have met with members of ETA in recent months. Israeli forces claim to have found these devices in Palestine and American forces have discovered them in Iraq.
So if it is ETA, then some very, very serious questions need to be asked in our Dail. If it was Al Qaeda, then God only knows what we have become involved in.
well, to look at it another way - the methods (not neccesarily the people) could be what was exported.
i.e. since the phone bomb method was discovered it could be replicated quite easily, without contact from the Real IRA or any other.