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Acts of commemoration are being held throughout the EU on Thursday as part of the European Day for Victims of Terrorism, held every year on 11th March since 2005.

Politicians in Spain laid a wreath of flowers at a plaque in the capital, marking the start of ceremonies to mark the sixth anniversary of the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 and injured 1,800 commuters when ten explosives planted by Muslim extremists went off on four commuter trains. Madrid regional government President Esperanza Aguirre placed the flowers in Puerta del Sol square at 9am, accompanied by regional leaders of the country''s main political parties.

Present at the proceedings held at the Madrid Congress were Spain''s Government President, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero; President of Congress, José Bono; Representative of the Foundation for the Victims of Terrorism, Maite Pagazaurtundua, as well as figures from all the associations for terrorism victims formed after 11th March attack.

Thursday''s joint act was opened by Congress President Jose Bono who read out the foreword from Article 33 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Later, a group of children, victims of the Madrid attacks, read out the names of all those who lost their lives as a result of the explosions, after which Bono concluded the act with a short speech and those present held a minute''s silence.

Other ceremonies to be attended by relatives and friends of the victims, trade unions and other groups will be held throughout Thursday at stations where the bombs exploded, a monument in Madrid''s Retiro park and also in Parliament.