Madrid bomb suspects abandon hunger strike

Two more suspects charged with Madrid's deadly 2004 train bombings abandoned a short-lived hunger strike today, bringing to four…

Two more suspects charged with Madrid's deadly 2004 train bombings abandoned a short-lived hunger strike today, bringing to four the number who have quit the protest against what they say is a sham trial.

Two hunger strikers began to eat yesterday, just one day after threatening to starve themselves to death and the latest two - Otman el Gnaoui and Rachid Aglif - lasted one day longer, prison authorities said.

Four of the 10 still on hunger strike have not eaten in eight days.

The group are among 29 standing trial over bomb attacks on Madrid trains which killed 191 people in 2004.

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The hunger strikers say they believe the charges are trumped up and that they are being used as pawns in a political game, their lawyers said.

A judge warned suspects, most from North Africa or the Middle East, they would be force-fed if necessary.

The trial began in February and is expected to last several more weeks.