World leaders are today wondering if yesterday's terrorist attack in Madrid was the work of al-Qaida, or whether it was the nationally-focused ETA group, in which case they could deliver a few platitudes and then turn their backs on the Spanish people.

Russian president Vladimir Putin said, "This senseless, barbaric action has again shown that the world community must even more resolutely combat terrorism," although an official press officer later added that if it did turn out that ETA were responsible, then obviously Spain was on its own.

British prime minister Tony Blair said it showed that "we must fight for our way of life, and al-Qaida attacks have a direct impact on the FTSE 100, whereas ETA doesn't effect us one jot."