At a press conference following a meeting with representatives of Ecuadorian immigration associations at the Moncloa Palace yesterday, president Zapatero emerged to affirm that: "the full force of law and order will fall upon the heads of those responsible for the attack" on Barajas airport at the end of last month, and promised that "Spain will live without murders and bombs."

Mr Zapatero has also formally requested permission to make a statement to the House of Congress next Monday "to explain the government's anti-terrorism policies" in the wake of the fatal attack despite the fact that Spain's MPs do not return from their winter holidays until the start of next month.

For his part, Interior minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, started a round of talks with representatives of all parliamentary parties with a meeting with PP spokesman, Eduardo Zaplana, yesterday.