In 2002 the Prestige oil spill occurred with big ecological consequences along Spain 's Atlantic coastline . In 2003 José María Aznar supported US president George W. Bush in the Iraq War , and a strong movement against war rose in Spanish society . On 11 March 2004 a local Islamist terrorist group inspired by Al-Qaeda carried out the largest terrorist attack in Spanish history when they killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 others by bombing commuter trains in Madrid . Though initial suspicions focused on the Basque terrorist group ETA , evidence soon emerged indicating Islamist involvement . Because of the proximity of the 2004 election , the issue of responsibility quickly became a political controversy , with the main competing parties PP and PSOE exchanging accusations over the handling of the incident . The elections on 14 March were won by the PSOE , led by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
bombing commuter trains
2004 Madrid train bombings
Spain