DOUBLE TERROR ORDEAL OF BOY'S FATHER
Double terror ordeal of boy's father
By STAFF REPORTERS
A SPANIARD who was wounded in a 1992 Basque separatist attack left home yesterday bound for Northern Ireland to collect the body of his 12-year-old son, killed in the Omagh car bombing.
Manuel Blasco was among 16 mourners who left from an air force base outside Madrid aboard two military planes sent to Northern Ireland by the Spanish government.
Manuel Blasco, the father of the dead boy, has now suffered at the hands of both Europe's last two armed movements. On June 9,1992 he was driving by a Madrid supermarket when a car bomb exploded, hitting him with shrapnel.
Ten military personnel and three other civilians were hurt in that attack, blamed on the Basque extremist group ETA, which is fighting for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain.
The 12 Spaniards wounded in Omagh include Blasco's 14-year-old daughter Lucrecia, who was wounded in the face and ear. Relatives say she will have to undergo plastic surgery.
Spain's deputy prime minister flew into Northern Ireland yesterday, condemning the act of terrorism in Omagh that killed a child and teacher from Madrid.
Francisco Alvarez-Cascos arrived at RAF Aldergrove from the Spanish capital shortly after relatives of the injured Spaniards touched down.
A third aircraft carrying medical staff also arrived at the base in order to take the injured who were well enough to travel back to Madrid later on in the day.
Speaking through the interpretation of Alberto Aza, Spanish ambassador to the UK, Mr Alvarez-Cascos said he wanted to show solidarity, not only with people from his own country but with the community of Northern Ireland who have suffered for so long at the hands of terrorists.
He said: "My presence here is to be with the families, meeting all these people injured in the hospital and being able to accompany families taking casualties back."
He said he intended to visit Omagh later in the day.
"I would like to be at the place of the terrorist bombing and express with my presence the solidarity of the community enduring this situation, and who have been affected by terrorism for so long," he said.
"Terrorist activities all over the world have something in common. They are the activities of fanatical, mad people.
"There are always minority groups. They are savage and cowards."
The Omagh bombing led to the death of 12-year-old Fernando Blasco from Madrid and teacher Rocio Abad, 24. They were part of a group on an exchange trip to Northern Ireland.
Ten other members of that group were injured in the blast.
The Spanish dimension of the Omagh bomb tragedy was underscored yesterday by a Roman Catholic priest in Co Donegal.
Two members of a student party from the Spanish capital Madrid died in Saturday's terrorist blast and 10 others were injured, two critically.
The group was staying in Buncrana and three young local boys were also killed in the attack. They had all been on a day out together in Omagh when the bombers struck.
Buncrana curate Father Charlie Keaney knew most of those who died and has seen the families of the Irish dead as well as the Spanish survivors.
Yesterday, he said: "It is only now beginning to sink in here.
"You can feel the grief in the streets. Groups of neighbours are standing on their doorsteps and knots of children who would normally be laughing are standing blank. It's devastating."
The Spanish families of those caught up in the blast were expected in the area yesterday after being flown to Belfast by the Spanish Government.
"The others are distraught and we have had counsellors in talking to them. Everybody is supporting them and behind them.
"They have asked to stay together to support each other but it is difficult for them to know what is going on because they are only beginning to learn English."
Fr Keaney said the Buncrana-Spain connection had been going on for more than 10 years.
"The Spanish students and the adults with them stay with local families.
"They are not strangers, they are like a second family to many people in this parish. For that reason, it's a double grief we are experiencing now. Our own children are dead and our visiting friends are caught up in this too. It's just beyond words, the whole thing."
Fr Keaney said that as well as the dead and injured Spanish a further 20 were still in Buncrana.
He said one of the Irish dead, 12-year-old Sean McLaughlin, was "a great wee boy, smiling all the time. It was a privilege to know him".
By STAFF REPORTERS
A SPANIARD who was wounded in a 1992 Basque separatist attack left home yesterday bound for Northern Ireland to collect the body of his 12-year-old son, killed in the Omagh car bombing.
Manuel Blasco was among 16 mourners who left from an air force base outside Madrid aboard two military planes sent to Northern Ireland by the Spanish government.
Manuel Blasco, the father of the dead boy, has now suffered at the hands of both Europe's last two armed movements. On June 9,1992 he was driving by a Madrid supermarket when a car bomb exploded, hitting him with shrapnel.
Ten military personnel and three other civilians were hurt in that attack, blamed on the Basque extremist group ETA, which is fighting for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain.
The 12 Spaniards wounded in Omagh include Blasco's 14-year-old daughter Lucrecia, who was wounded in the face and ear. Relatives say she will have to undergo plastic surgery.
Spain's deputy prime minister flew into Northern Ireland yesterday, condemning the act of terrorism in Omagh that killed a child and teacher from Madrid.
Francisco Alvarez-Cascos arrived at RAF Aldergrove from the Spanish capital shortly after relatives of the injured Spaniards touched down.
A third aircraft carrying medical staff also arrived at the base in order to take the injured who were well enough to travel back to Madrid later on in the day.
Speaking through the interpretation of Alberto Aza, Spanish ambassador to the UK, Mr Alvarez-Cascos said he wanted to show solidarity, not only with people from his own country but with the community of Northern Ireland who have suffered for so long at the hands of terrorists.
He said: "My presence here is to be with the families, meeting all these people injured in the hospital and being able to accompany families taking casualties back."
He said he intended to visit Omagh later in the day.
"I would like to be at the place of the terrorist bombing and express with my presence the solidarity of the community enduring this situation, and who have been affected by terrorism for so long," he said.
"Terrorist activities all over the world have something in common. They are the activities of fanatical, mad people.
"There are always minority groups. They are savage and cowards."
The Omagh bombing led to the death of 12-year-old Fernando Blasco from Madrid and teacher Rocio Abad, 24. They were part of a group on an exchange trip to Northern Ireland.
Ten other members of that group were injured in the blast.
The Spanish dimension of the Omagh bomb tragedy was underscored yesterday by a Roman Catholic priest in Co Donegal.
Two members of a student party from the Spanish capital Madrid died in Saturday's terrorist blast and 10 others were injured, two critically.
The group was staying in Buncrana and three young local boys were also killed in the attack. They had all been on a day out together in Omagh when the bombers struck.
Buncrana curate Father Charlie Keaney knew most of those who died and has seen the families of the Irish dead as well as the Spanish survivors.
Yesterday, he said: "It is only now beginning to sink in here.
"You can feel the grief in the streets. Groups of neighbours are standing on their doorsteps and knots of children who would normally be laughing are standing blank. It's devastating."
The Spanish families of those caught up in the blast were expected in the area yesterday after being flown to Belfast by the Spanish Government.
"The others are distraught and we have had counsellors in talking to them. Everybody is supporting them and behind them.
"They have asked to stay together to support each other but it is difficult for them to know what is going on because they are only beginning to learn English."
Fr Keaney said the Buncrana-Spain connection had been going on for more than 10 years.
"The Spanish students and the adults with them stay with local families.
"They are not strangers, they are like a second family to many people in this parish. For that reason, it's a double grief we are experiencing now. Our own children are dead and our visiting friends are caught up in this too. It's just beyond words, the whole thing."
Fr Keaney said that as well as the dead and injured Spanish a further 20 were still in Buncrana.
He said one of the Irish dead, 12-year-old Sean McLaughlin, was "a great wee boy, smiling all the time. It was a privilege to know him".
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/055
Published Date: 18-Aug-98
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