Three bomb attacks in Madrid

At least 15 people were feared dead in explosions on packed rush-hour trains in Madrid on Thursday in near-simultaneous pre-election attacks that police suspected to be the work of Basque separatist group ETA. Spanish television news station CNN+, quoting emergency services, said there were at least 15 dead in the attack three days before Spain's national election.

A police spokesman said: "That's the figure they are talking to me about."

Spanish media said there could be as many as 50 people injured and police were evacuating the main station.

A police spokesman said it was feared the explosions were the work of ETA, which has waged a bloody campaign for independence from Spain for more than 30 years, inform &to=http://www.reuters.com' target=_blank>Reuters.com

Three bomb attacks on trains full of morning commuters killed about 50 people in Madrid, Spanish television station TVE reported. Spain's Red Cross said at least 200 people were injured.

Police said it was too early to say whether they suspect ETA, the Basque terrorist group that government and police officials say has been increasing terror attacks in the weeks leading up to Spain's general election on Sunday.

Three bombs went off between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. near three train stations, a National Police spokeswoman said. The stations were El Pozo, Santa Eugenia, and Atocha, which is Madrid's main hub serving southern cities.

"It was horrendous," said a woman who was on one train, speaking to government-run TVE television news. "There was the explosion and then people started to run full of blood."

Television showed images of dozens of victims with heads or arms bandaged, limping and clinging on to rescue workers. The camera showed one train car ripped in half.