Hans Rustad Det finnes en forbindelse mellom 911 i USA og 311 i Spania, viser FBI-etterforskning. Samme mann som deltok i planleggingen av 911, aktiverte cellen som utførte 311 i Spania.
Det som går igjen i terror-etterforskningen er nettverket, samarbeidet, og kontakten. Lokale celler som står i kontakt med, og utfører oppdrag på fjernkommando.
Det er kjent at Mohammed Atta var i Spania i juli 2003. Her møtte han to andre. Den ene var Ramzi bin al-Shaibah. Den andre har man ikke lykkes identifisere 100 %, men man tror han arbeidet for syreren Mustafa Setmarian.
ABC said investigators now believe that third man was the one who in December 2003 activated the Qaeda cell that carried out the March 11 attacks, which Spaniards call «our Sept. 11.»
ABC said investigators had narrowed his identity down to three candidates and believed he was a lieutenant of Mustafa Setmarian, increasingly considered to have been a leader of the Madrid train bombers and who may have held a leadership role for al Qaeda in Europe.
Setmarian, aged 45 and of Syrian origin, was already wanted as part of a separate investigation into Islamic militant activity in Spain and is the subject of a Spanish wanted notice issued through Interpol.
The State Department said on Nov. 18 it was offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of Setmarian, also known as Mustafa Setmariam Nasar or Abu Musab al-Suri. It described him as an al Qaeda member and former trainer at «terrorist camps» in Afghanistan.
Det er også forbindelse mellom Madrid-bomberne og islamistene i Nederland. To av nøkkelpersonene i Madrid skal ha søkt tilflukt i Roosendal i Nederland, i tiden rett etter 311.