Murder of schoolgirls stuns Spain

MADRID - The discovery of the bodies of three Spanish schoolgirls, wrapped in carpets in a shallow grave, has shocked Spain and brought calls for tougher penalties for multiple murders, writes Phil Davison.

A bee-keeper at a remote area of Valencia spotted a protruding arm and called the Guardia Civil. The police dug out the bodies of three girls, identified as those who went missing after going to a disco last November.

Their disappearance led to speculation that they may have been victims of some form of 'white slave' trade, perhaps to North Africa. It was partly for that reason that Fernando Garcia, the father of one of the girls, visited London this week to seek the help of Scotland Yard and Interpol. He was in London on Wednesday night when he received the news of the discovery of the bodies, now thought almost certainly to include his daughter Mirian, 14. The other victims were Desiree Hernandez, 14, and Antonia Gomez, 15.