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Are terrorist bombings justified?

 

            
             On March 11th 2004 Spain was struck by terrorist attacks. The Atocha train station in the capital city Madrid was the scene of the attacks. Ten bombs were placed on four trains and timed to go off as the predominantly working class commuters were in rush hour. More bombs, timed to go off when rescuers entered the wreckage, were defused by police. Two hundred Spanish civilians were killed, making this the worst attack on the west since the September 11th attacks.
             Initial blame from the government was on ETA, a Basque separatist group campaigning for independence from Spain and France, but ETA has since categorically denied involvement. There is evidence pointing for and against ETA involvement;.
             Al Qaeda has also been blamed. The meticulous planning and spectacular nature of the bombings follow the hallmarks of Al Qaeda. A tape also has surfaced of a man talking in Moroccan accented Arabic claiming responsibility on behalf of Al Qaeda, and says the bombings "were a response to the crimes you have caused the world, concretely in Afghanistan." This would be a reference to the Spanish government's gung ho support for the American-led war on terror, and the one thousand Spanish troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. However there is also evidence pointing against Al Qaeda involvement.
             The central ethical issue in this event is whether it is right for people to be killed. The Muslim or Basque terrorists may feel they have a right to kill because using parts of the Utilitarian and Social Contract theories, they could reason it was justified. The Spaniards on the other hand could use the same theories to prove they shouldn't have been targeted.
             The terrorists could use the guiding principle of Utilitarianism, .
             .
             "This principle requires that whenever we have a choice between alternative actions or social policies, we must choose the one that has the best overall consequences for everyone concerned.


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