Spanish paper uses
9-11 images in ad

A leading Spanish newspaper, El Pais, is using the terrorist attack of September 11 on New York City in an e-mail advertisement for its online version, prompting scathing criticism in the blogosphere.

The ad features two photos of the New York City skyline, one with the Twin Towers, which is dated Sept. 11, 2001, and one without them dated Sept. 12, 2001.

Under the photo is a caption in Spanish that translates: "You can do a lot in one single day; just imagine what can happen in three months."

E-mail ad for El Pais.

Another translation of the first phrase is: "A lot of things can happen in one day."

The ad continues to explain that the paper is offering a free three-month subscription to its online version.

"Subscribe now to EL PAIS.es and enjoys three months of the news free," the ad states in Spanish.

The ad was posted on the Spanish blog Arcadi Espara and subsequently has shown up on other blogs.

One blog describes the paper as belonging to the "PRISA group, the pro-Socialist media organization."

The Socialist Party took over the government in Spain shortly after the March 11 terrorist attack in Madrid that killed 191 people. The voters chose to oust former Prime Minster Jose Maria Aznar, who supported U.S. efforts against terror, and many observers believe the bombing helped tip the election to the opposing Socialist Party.

One Spanish blogger said he felt "nauseous" after seeing the ad, mentioning he was in New York City on March 11, "and the solidarity that the New Yorkers showed me … is something I will never forget."

Another Spanish poster simply said, "Incredible," while yet another wrote, "I have not seen publicity of worse taste in my life."

A poster on the English-language blog LittleGreenFootballs wrote, "I'm speechless. Hey, Espa?osocialistas, how about an ad campaign featuring photos of bombed-out Madrid trains, and a caption along the lines of 'the pain in Spain falls mainly on the trains'? Wouldn't that be cute and funny?"