Federico Trillo, the former Minister of Defense of Spain, has made a controversial claim regarding the terrorist attacks that occurred on March 11, 2004, in Madrid. During the presentation of his book 'Memorias de anteayer' at the Círculo Ecuestre in Barcelona, Trillo asserted that the attacks were orchestrated by operatives "sent by Morocco" and that they were operating under the "control and coordination of the French secret services." His statements have sparked considerable debate and are sure to reignite discussions about the events surrounding that tragic day.
Trillo expressed his strong belief in the involvement of Moroccan operatives, which he referred to as 'moritos', stating, "I have the absolute conviction that they were the ones sent by Morocco, under the control and coordination of French intelligence services. This is my conclusion. I regret being so clear." Furthermore, he noted that both the CIA and MI6 agree that there was a continental intelligence service behind these operatives, underscoring the complexity and international implications of the attacks.
Reflecting on the management of the crisis by the government led by then-Prime Minister José María Aznar, Trillo criticized the poor handling of the situation, describing it as "not just bad, but worse." He highlighted that a significant error was made by not convening a crisis cabinet, a decision that excluded key figures such as Vice Presidents Rodrigo Rato and Javier Arenas, as well as Trillo himself from crucial discussions regarding the attacks. Trillo recounted that the Prime Minister chose to meet only with spokesperson Eduardo Zaplana and Interior Minister Ángel Acebes, effectively sidelining other critical voices.
Additionally, Trillo shared insights into the political dynamics following the defeat of the Popular Party (PP) in the 2004 general elections. He recalled that Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former president from Galicia, suggested the replacement of Mariano Rajoy as the PP's candidate for the presidency. In July 2004, Rajoy tasked Trillo with persuading Fraga to step back from a re-election bid for president of the Xunta de Galicia, but Fraga refused, emphasizing the lack of a strong candidate for the government presidency at that time.
Trillo attributed the electoral defeat in March 2004 significantly to the impact of the March 11 attacks. He recalled Fraga suggesting two potential successors to Rajoy: himself or Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, indicating a deep concern for the future leadership of the party.
In his critique of the current political landscape, Trillo did not hold back when discussing the current Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez. He expressed that Sánchez has not reached the moral standards set by former socialist president Felipe González, stating, "Felipe never reached the level of immorality that Sánchez is approaching right now." Trillo called for the removal of what he termed a "mafia" from power in Spain, arguing that if they could rid themselves of González's corrupt influences, they should be able to do the same with Sánchez, whom he characterized as a tyrant.
As reported by elimparcial.es.
