Who Did the FBI Match the Fingerprint to in the Madrid Case?

By Anna Duncan

The 2004 Madrid train bombings were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks that occurred on March 11, 2004, in the Spanish capital city of Madrid. These bombings killed 191 people and injured more than 2,000 others. The Spanish authorities launched a massive investigation to identify and capture the perpetrators behind this heinous crime.

During the investigation, the FBI was asked to assist with fingerprint analysis. The Spanish authorities had recovered a fingerprint from a bag containing explosives that did not detonate. This bag was found at the Alcala de Henares train station, which was one of the stations Targeted in the attacks.

The FBI analyzed the fingerprint and identified it as belonging to Brandon Mayfield, an American lawyer who had converted to Islam and was living in Oregon at the time. Mayfield was subsequently arrested by the FBI on May 6, 2004, on suspicion of involvement in the Madrid bombings.

However, further investigation revealed that there had been an error in fingerprint analysis. The FBI had incorrectly matched Mayfield’s fingerprint with the one found on the bag containing explosives. The Spanish authorities also found evidence linking Moroccan nationals to the bombings.

Eventually, four suspects were identified and arrested for their involvement in planning and executing the Madrid bombings. They were later convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 34,715 years to life imprisonment.

The case of Brandon Mayfield’s wrongful arrest highlighted flaws in fingerprint analysis techniques used by law enforcement agencies worldwide. It also raised concerns about potential racial profiling and discrimination against Muslims following terrorist attacks.

In conclusion, while initial investigations pointed towards an American lawyer’s involvement in one of Europe’s deadliest terrorist attacks, further investigations revealed that it was a group of Moroccan nationals who planned and executed these heinous crimes.