Bomb attacks 'declaration of war'

European Parliament President Pat Cox said today’s bomb attacks in Madrid which claimed at least 62 lives amounted to “a declaration of war on democracy”.

Cox led a minute’s silence at the start of today’s legislative session and said the parliament would fly the EU and Spanish flags at half mast.

“No more bombs, no more dead,” Cox said in Spanish at the hushed legislature in Strasbourg, France.

“It is an outrageous unjustified and unjustifiable attack on the Spanish people and Spanish democracy,” Cox said.

“There is a general election due in Spain on Sunday. What happened today is a declaration of war on democracy.

“Let Sunday show that Spanish democracy is determined to overcome terrorism.”

Spanish members of the EU assembly were seen hugging during the emotional statement and moment of silence.

Spain’s European Commissioner Pedro Solbes also attended the session as did the leader of the Socialists in the chamber, Enrique Baron.