“Caring and solidarity with the victims” and condemnation of terrorism, considered a “structure of sin”. The Spanish Episcopal Conference reacted this way to the terrorist attack by the Basque ETA group last December 30th at the Madrid airport which resulted in 19 injured and serious material damages. The bishops reminded that terrorism is “intrinsically perverse, completely incompatible to a moral vision of life”. “The government, the political parties and all the State institutions – they asserted – must work together, with all the legitimate means available to them to put an end to terrorism as soon as possible. All are under the obligation to place unity in the fight against terrorism before the legitimate political or strategic differences”. In looking to the recent pastoral teachings of the same Spanish bishops, they insist upon a note that “a society that wishes to be free cannot explicitly or implicitly recognize a terrorist organization as a legitimate political representative of any part of the population, nor accept it as a political spokesperson”. “In energetically condemning this attack – the Spanish bishops write – once more we can see that terrorism is a structure of sin”. In concluding, the ask that “God give wisdom and strength to the governing powers in their decisions and actions finalized to the defeat of terrorism”.
