European Commission President Romano Prodi condemned on Tuesday the car bomb attack that killed a Spanish supreme court judge in Madrid and urged the Spanish people not to surrender to "terror and extortion."
"On behalf of the commission and as a private citizen, I want to express again the strongest and firmest condemnation of the terrorist attack yesterday in Madrid," Prodi told a press briefing about Monday's attack, which was blamed on the Basque separatist group ETA.
"This attack took place in a member state government by democracy and the rule of law," Prodi said, referring to the bloodiest attack attributed to ETA since it ended a 14-month ceasefire in December 1999.
Judge Francisco Querol Lombardero, 69, a member of the court's military tribunal with the rank of general, his driver Armando Medina Sanchez, 57, and police bodyguard Jesus Ascudero Garcia, 53, all died instantly and 30 people were wounded in the morning rush-hour explosion.
"It is frightening to think that the attack could have caused many more causalities, including school children," said Prodi. "The commission sends a message of sympathy to the families of the three victims and to those injured.
"I also renew the commission's expression of solidarity to the Spanish people, and our encouragement not to surrender democratic principles to terror and extortion," said Prodi -- BRUSSELS (AFP)
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