The government and the principal political parties of Spain condemned the killing of a Spanish intelligence officer at his home Thursday in Baghdad, capital of Iraq.

The spokesman of the Spanish government, Eduardo Zaplana, termed the attack as a "terrorist action as many of those perpetrated in Iraq in recent times."

"We have to work to attain stability and the recovery of the Iraqi people to help them in this effort to obtain stability and the much longed for liberty," he added.

Jose Antonio Bernal Gomez, 34, a military attache and intelligence official of the Spanish embassy stationed in Baghdad since 2001, was killed when he opened his door to a gang of gunmen.

The spokesman of ruling-Popular Party (PP) Luis de Grandes, described the murder of the Spaniard as a terrorist action, independent to the hostilities related to the occupation of the Middle Eastern country.

On the other hand, the spokesman of opposition-Spanish Workers Socialist Party (PSOE), Jesus Caldera, condemned the assassination and said the sergeant died at the service of the State. Caldera termed Baghdad as a city "living in chaos and this situation seems to go on."

The leader of opposition-party United Left (IU), Gaspar llamazares, condemned the murder and affirmed the Spanish troops deployed in Iraq face danger.

Bernal became the second Spanish soldier dying in Baghdad after the bomb attack that destroyed the United Nations office in Iraq on Aug. 19, resulting in the death of 24 people, including Spanish Navy Captain Manuel Martin Oar.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2003)