Over 8 millions took part in the demo (AFP)

MADRID, March 13 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - More than eight million people have taken to Spain's streets in an unprecedented show of grief and fury at the train blasts that shocked Madrid Thursday as funeral services are held Saturday, March 13, in memory of the 199 killed in the carnage.

The demonstrations - vast seas of umbrellas in rain-soaked cities and towns - were by far the biggest the country has ever seen, easily beating the previous record set in February last year when the population protested its government's support of the U.S. war on Iraq, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The nationwide rallies - Friday, March 12 - were called by the government but attended by politicians of all stripes.

Several European dignitaries, including Prime Ministers Jean-Pierre Raffarin of France and Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott as well as President of the European Commission Romano Prodi traveled to take part in Madrid.

The Spanish royal family broke with tradition to also be present in the form of Crown Prince Felipe and his sisters Princess Elena and Princess Cristina.

“A people united will never be defeated,” the crowd roared in unison in Madrid.

Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar was greeted with both boos and cheers at the Madrid demonstration in a sign of the competing perceptions as to who carried out the attacks, and why.

At least 199 people were killed and up to 1500 others wounded in Thursday's carnage, in which 10 bombs tore through packed morning commuter trains and three railway stations in the southeast of the capital.

A total 33 foreigners from 13 countries are among the victims, according to an AFP tally based on information provided by foreign embassies in the Spanish capital.

Among the victims are 12 Europeans - one Bulgarian, seven Romanians, three Poles, including a baby, and a French woman. There are also 17 victims from Latin America - five Ecuadorans, three Peruvians, three Colombians, two Hondurans, a Cuban, two from the Dominican Republic and a Chilean.

In addition, there was one victim from Guinea Bissau and three from Morocco, including a 14 year-old boy and a seven-year-old.

Funeral Services

“No To Terrorism”

In the meantime, a series of funeral services are being held Saturday across Spain, the third and final day of a national mourning.

In Alcala de Henares, the town east of the capital which was the starting point for the doomed trains, the diocesan Bishop Jesus Catala kicked off the first - and one of the main - solemn funeral masses at 10:00 GMT.

This was to be followed by religious services in a host of other locations, some individual masses in the hometown of blast victims, others collective services.

In the cathedral of the Basque country's main city, San Sebastian in northeastern Spain, Bishop Juan Maria Uriarte will offer a solemn mass at 18:00 GMT to commemorate all the victims of the carnage.

Sympathy

The horrific scenes of the attacks have elicited sympathy and words of support from around the world.

The Irish presidency of the European Union has proposed all E.U. countries observe three minutes of silence on Monday, March 15, in memory of those killed in Madrid.

And U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday laid a wreath at the Spanish ambassador's residence in Washington and said: “The Spanish people will stand firm against this type of killing and they'll have a friend with the American people.”

 The Arab world also united Friday in condemning the bombings, but refrained from passing judgment on who was responsible for the carnage.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak sent a message of condolences to Spanish King Juan Carlos I in which he vigorously condemned “all forms of violence and terrorism”.

Seas of demonstrators decried all forms of terrorism and violence (AFP)

Arab League chief Amr Moussa said he was “shocked” by “terrorist acts aimed at killing civilians,” sending his condolences to the families of the victims.

Libyan leader Moamar Gadhafi telephoned the Spanish premier to offer his condolences and condemn the bombings.

In the Gulf, Saudi Arabia said it “was shocked” by the bombings which “killed and injured hundreds of innocent people”.

“The kingdom condemns and deplores this criminal and shameful act which runs counter to humanitarian values,” said a statement carried by the official SPA news agency and offering its condolences to the victims and their families.

The United Arab Emirates also condemned the bombings as a “shocking crime”, as did the neighboring Gulf States of Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, whose leaders sent messages of support to the Spanish people.

In Damascus, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad condemned as “criminal and terrorist acts”.

Confusion reigned over whether to blame the Basque separatist group ETA or Al-Qaeda network which had claimed responsibility in an unverifiable e-mail.

The Spanish government, which is seeking re-election in legislative polls Sunday, March 14, in part on its record of tough dealing with ETA, considers the Basque militant organization its prime suspect in the attacks.