The victims of the 11-M terrorist attacks, which have been the most serious ever in Spain, will receive psychiatric and medical assistance during the trials, which will begin next Thursday. modern technologies will be used for these trials, for example, information will be sent to lawyers using special software.

The proceedings will take place in a pavilion the Audiencia Nacional (National Court of Spain) has in Casa de Campo, in Madrid. According to sources inside the Audiencia Nacional, the victims of the attacks will be able to watch them from a special room (with seating for 150 people) thanks to an internal video system.


Psychologists, social assistance workers and medical staff will be in two adjoining rooms, ready to help the victims in case of need. A civil servant from the Oficina de Atención a las Víctimas de la Audiencia Nacional (Centre for Victims of the National Court of Spain) will also be there.

This super-trial, with 29 accused people, about 650 witnesses and 98 experts, will use state-of-the-art technology, including software that will allow lawyers to be notified via the Internet (this idea came from the Ministry of Justice and was a pilot project in León and Elche).

Some pieces of evidence will also be presented via video-conferences, and all the documents in the docket or that are presented during the proceedings will be viewable on television screens thanks to a special camera that has been installed on the ceiling of the court room.

Other technological innovations include 17 plasma screens that will enable everyone present to watch the proceedings, as well as two booths for Arabic interpreters who will be named by the court.

In addition to this, interpreters of other languages, such as French an Italian may participate in the testimony phase.

Almost 400 reporters and 160 media companies will cover this trial, but only 140 of them will be able to enter the courtroom; the rest will have to stay outside the pavilion, in a designated area.

Most of the media companies are from Europe and the United States. The companies that have not been granted permission to enter the courtroom will be able to follow the proceedings via the official recordings made by the Audiencia Nacional and distributed by Televisión Española.