] With Spanish national elections set to be held on Sunday
] -- and Aznar confirmed again that the elections will go
] ahead as scheduled -- assigning blame for Thursday's
] terrorist attacks has taken on political undertones that
] some media analysts said could affect the outcome of the
] voting.
]
] If people widely perceive ETA as responsible, this
] common analysis says, then Aznar's ruling Popular Party
] should benefit, perhaps maintaining or even increasing
] its absolute majority in parliament, since the PP is seen
] as tough on Basque separatist demands. Aznar's handpicked
] successor, Mariano Rajoy, has pledged to continue Aznar's
] tough policy of refusing to negotiate with ETA.
]
] However, if Islamic militants are believed involved,
] some analysts have said there could be a popular backlash
] against the Popular Party, for aligning Spain so closely
] with the United States and siding with the Bush
] administration in the Iraq War, which is still deeply
] unpopular here.

One the one hand, by blaming the ETA and not postponing the elections, the government is clearly protecting its own political interests. On the other hand, the left promises to deliver Al'Q exactly what it wants from these attacks.