MADRID (AFP) - A row erupted in Spain as members of the parliamentary inquiry into the March 11 Madrid train bombings voted to call former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar as a witness.
Inquiry chairman Paulino Rivero said 13 other people would appear, including experts in Islamic terrorism and senior police figures from the northern Asturias region, the origin of the explosives used in the blasts.
No exact date has been set for Aznar`s appearance.
Rivero said the inquiry team had unanimously decided Aznar should testify after fringe parties canvassed the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE) and Aznar`s rightwing Popular Party (PP).
The PP lost a general election three days after the bombings, which killed 191 and injured 1,900 in Spain`s worst terrorist attack.
Wednesday`s decision met with a furious reaction from PP spokesman Eduardo Zaplana, who emerged to denounce "a scandal without precedent for a democratic country."
Zaplana slammed the whole affair as "a pantomime" and threatened "consequences".
It swiftly emerged that the PP had asked at the last minute for Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero also to be called but the proposal was rejected.
Rivero said that was because the request had not been formally made but Zaplana said it was proof the hearing did not want to cast its investigative net as wide as possible.
Zaplana accused the commission of "wanting to investigate nothing. It`s ridiculous.
"They don`t want people to know the truth. It`s a joke and a lie," he stormed. "There is an agreement among the committee not to know the truth."
He accused the panel of routinely turning down PP requests on who should appear, including Zapatero, adding acceptance of such requests was "essential and fundamental" to the inquiry outcome.
"It`s incomprehensible that they are afraid of knowing the truth. It`s illogical," Zaplana stormed.
PSOE spokesman Alvaro Cuesta said Wednesday`s decision was in itself proof that the inquiry enjoyed a remit "without limits," noting it was under Aznar that "Spain suffered the worst attack in its history."
But Mariano Rajoy, who led the PP to defeat on March 14 having taken over the party leadership from Aznar last year, insisted Zapatero should now himself appear.
Zapatero should "stop hiding himself away," Rajoy told reporters, adding if he did not people would conclude that "the government has something to hide."
The PSOE and the PP had previously said they believed Aznar`s appearance was not necessary, having heard from former members of his government, including a marathon, day-long appearance by former interior minister Angel Acebes.
On Monday, however, Zapatero said he was "favourable" to Aznar being called and was himself prepared to appear.
In the days following the bombings the PP and Aznar insisted Basque extremists were responsible, even as evidence emerged pointing the finger at Islamic extremists.
Of 20 suspects now in custody in connection with the attacks, most are Moroccans.
A link to Islamic extremism would have been dangerous for the PP as it would have suggested to Spanish voters that the bombings were in revenge for Aznar`s strong support for US policy in Iraq.
Before the blasts, the PP was favoured to win the election but some voters suspected the government was trying to mislead them by pinning the blame on Basque extremists even as they cast their ballots.
In the event the PSOE carried the day.
Many Spaniards are sceptical as to whether Aznar will prove willing or able to shed further light on the attacks.
An opinion poll carried out in late July showed 58.1 percent of those questioned thought the inquiry would find out "little" or "nothing" regarding March 11.