Spanish elections will go ahead

Spain’s general elections will go ahead as planned on Sunday, the country’s foreign minister said, despite the terrorist bombings that killed almost 200 people.

While campaigning for the polls has been called off and three days of mourning declared, Ana Palacio was adamant that the vote would not be held up.

“This would be the first way to tell terrorists about our determination to go forward and that they will not succeed in their wicked cause,” she said.

Spain at first blamed ETA, the Basque militant group, for the blasts that killed 198 people and wounded at least 1,400. A shadowy group has since claimed responsibility in the name of al-Qaida.