Madrid bombing suspects jailed in separate trial

MADRID, Jan 31 (Reuters) Two Spanish men, both charged with providing explosives for Islamist train bombings in Madrid in 2004, were given jail sentences today in a separate trial for selling explosives in 2001, a court said.

The court in the northern region of Asturias said it jailed former miner Jose Emilio Suarez-Trashorras and his brother-in-law, Antonio Toro, for 10 and 11-1/2 years respectively on charges of drugs and explosives trafficking.

Police arrested 21 people after seizing hashish and cocaine, cartridges of dynamite and industrial detonators in 2001.

Suarez-Trashorras and Toro sold explosives in bars in the city of Gijon, the court said.

Both men face charges relating to supplying explosives to Islamist bombers who killed 191 people when they bombed trains in Madrid on March 11, 2004.

The Madrid bombings trial of 29 suspects, including Spaniards and Moroccans, is due to start on February. 15.

While today's sentencing has no direct link with the Madrid bombings, some Spanish media have talked of connections between Suarez-Trashorras and Basque guerrillas ETA.

Investigators dismiss any participation by ETA in the Madrid bombings. Spain's former conservative government, which had supported the deeply unpopular Iraq war, blamed the attacks on ETA before being swept from office by Socialists in a surprise parliamentary election result three days later.

REUTERS SP PM2216