In keeping with recent years, memorial ceremonies are expected to be low-key.

The mayor of Madrid will inaugurate a monument to the victims who were killed or injured at Pozo station, where one of the four trains was bombed on March 11, 2004.

Spanish courts have convicted 14 Islamic militants for their roles in the attacks, along with four Spaniards, the latter for trafficking in explosives used in the attacks.

In 2008 the National Court determined that the terrorists convicted in the attacks did not have sufficient funds to pay damages to the victims, the ministry said.

The Spanish Interior Ministry said since 2004, that the government has paid a total of 314 million euros (about US$434 million) in compensation to the victims or their surviving family members. Some of these payments went to non-Spaniards among the victims, and involved analyzing inheritance laws in 16 other nations.

The government has also provided 3.3 million euros (US$4.5 million) to organizations that have special programnes to care for the victims.