The terrorists attacks on the island of Mallorca this Sunday, are believed to be part of the “summer campaign” that the terrorist group have ran almost every year since 1979, in an attempt to destroy the confidence of tourists and tourism in Spain.

One could question if this mode of terrorism is successful or not. Certainly, in the attacks today, there were no injuries, so the only real effects that this spate of explosions could have is to instil terror into the public, and that must be the ultimate goal of a terrorist, perhaps?

We know all to well that this group are also responsible for killing a great number of people during their history. We believe this, we suspect this, and we know this, because ETA claim, and therefore confirm, responsibility.

But, is it safe to be on holiday in Spain? well, that is the question that nobody can truly answer, other than to ask is it safe to be anywhere?
Originating from Manchester, I know all too well that terrorism can strike at home, as well as abroad. We can be a victim of terrorism, crime, accident or incident anywhere in the world.

So, will this damage tourism? Well, has it damaged tourism so far? No. Of course, one or two people might reconsider for a while, but terror attacks have not really played an active part in discouraging people from visiting Spain so far. Even today, I am hearing of British people booking last minute holidays to Mallorca.

Will acts of terrorism result in the goals of the groups being heard and an amicable solution for them being found? Well, that is an easy one to answer… NO! The Spanish government will not cave in and nor will the Spanish people, or the press. Spanish news agencies are spending their time retaliating against ETA by reminding everybody of the deaths and damage that they have been responsible for. No sympathy, just hard, painful facts.

The majority of Spanish people will not support the cause of ETA, or BATASUNA (the so-called “political” wing of ETA). There is even a huge wave of annoyance from the Spanish people that the British press constantly refer to ETA as a “separatist group”, saying that they are terrorists, so should be called “terrorists”.

Nobody is under any dissolution that ETA will give up. The group is constantly recruiting younger members into their realms, but even some of the elders of the group are disgusted by recent activities. But the more radical a group becomes, the more blinkered they become to the long term effects that their actions may have.

It would take intelligence and strength to lay down their arms and sit around a table to try to reach resolution. The recent history of Northern Island proves that it may be possible of course, but even now, the mainstream press seldom report on continuing “troubles” in that area, for fear of recriminations.

Time will tell as to what the future might hold, but for now, let us look back and remember other “summer campaigns” and remember that the government of Spain, and the security forces, will do everything in their power to keep us all safe, as was proven today in the triple attack at Mallorca.

Previous explosions:

Summer 1979: Explosions in Benidorm, Marbella slightly injured two tourists, Castellon de la Plana, Peniscola, Salou (Tarragona) and Sitges (Gerona).

Summer 1980: Explosions in Javea (Alicante), Alicante, Estepona, Mijas and Benalmádena (Malaga).

1985: ETA operates in Benidorm, El Saler (Valencia), Alicante, San Juan, Dehesa de Campoamor, Torrevieja, Altea and Grao (Castellon), where a 62 year old man died because of a heart attack after the attack and in the Catalan coast, and in Escala (Gerona).

1986: Devices in Torremolinos, Fuengirola, Malaga, Estepona, Benidorm, Alicante and Marbella.

1988: Explosion at Benicassim (Castellon), with significant damage.

1991: Explosion at the Guardia Civil barracks in Torremolinos, 2 men, a woman and a child injured. Others in Torrevieja, Marbella, Estepona and Mijas.

1993: Explosions in the province of Alicante, Denia and La Manga del Mar Menor, one of them injuring a Guardia Civil officer and wounding a civilian Italian tourists.

1995: Three explosions in Reus, Salou and Cambrils, and in Petrel and Oliva (Valencia) and in Denia, Javea and El Altet (Alicante).

1996: Explosions in Almuñécar (Granada), Granada, Jaen, Malaga, Reus -35 people injured, four of them serious, Salou, Cambrils, in the N-324 and between Segorbe and Viver (Castellon), Santiago de Compostela and Bayona (Pontevedra).

2001: Devices in Roda (Albacete), on an AVE train line and in Ciudad Real a car bomb slightly injured thirteen people.

2002: A car bomb explodes in Fuengirola (Malaga) and six people wounded, another explosion days later in Marbella and another in Santa Pola (Alicante), which killed two people, including a young girl, and wounding 40 others, as well explosions in Mijas and Torrevieja.

2003: Explosions in Alicante and Benidorm wounded thirteen people, and the airport at Parayas (Cantabria).

2004: Explosions in San Vicente de la Barquera (Cantabria) and Ribadesella (Asturias), Santander, Gijon, Llanes (Asturias), and Bayonne Sanxenxo (Galicia), Santiago de Compostela.

2005: Two devices in Andalusia and Extremadura.

2007: Explosion in Fuenmayor (La Rioja).

2008: Four explosions in Laredo (2) and Noja (2), Cantabria, and three in Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Malaga.

2009: Car bomb in Palmanova, Municipality of Calvia (Mallorca), killing 2 Guardia Civil officers.