They were two attacks in Spain yesterday, first in Barcelona and secondly in Cambrils. Both are believed to be by the group. Police also foiled plans of further attacks that were planned around Spanish cities, by a group who had been radicalised by the ISIL.
Barcelona, is a popular tourist destination, as well being a local hot-spot, tourists from around the globe travel to enjoy the culture and tourist attractions. In such a diverse place full of internationals, any attack would injure or kill victims from all nations and religions.
Through-out the night we have seen tweets from all around the globe, offering support for people of Catalunya as well in some unfortunate cases, confirming the deaths of their Nationals in those attacks.
The suspects in the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils were planning one or more bigger attacks than those that were carried out, police say.
What we know so far
- Cambrils attack: One woman killed, others injured in an attack carried out by five terrorists who were killed by police. The town is 75 miles from Barcelona.
- Police: One officer killed four of the five “suspected terrorists” in the Cambrils attack overnight, Catalonia’s police department said Friday.
- Barcelona attack: Manhunt underway after a van drove into Las Ramblas on Thursday evening, killing 13 people. More than 100 injured in the attack.
- The victims: First victim named as Italian Bruno Gulotta. The victims from the two attacks are from 34 countries.
- Arrests: Four arrested in connection with the two attacks.
- None of the people being investigated in connection with the attacks in Catalonia on Thursday had any known terrorist background.
Catalonia’s police chief said blasts in a town south of Barcelona on Wednesday deprived the plotters of bomb material, forcing them to carry out simpler attacks using vehicles to ram crowds.
A manhunt is under way for Moussa Oukabir, 18, suspected of carrying out Thursday’s Barcelona attack. Thirteen people died in Las Ramblas.
Moussa Oukabir is suspected of using his brother’s documents to rent the van that mowed down people on the famous boulevard.
Hours later, police killed five suspected jihadists in a second vehicle attack in the town of Cambrils. A woman injured in that attack died later. Police said the men killed in Cambrils were linked to the Barcelona attack, which the Islamic State (IS) group said it had carried out.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy condemned what he called a “jihadist attack” in Barcelona. He has announced three days of national mourning and a minute’s silence was held at noon (10:00 GMT) on Friday.
Police give more detail on attacks
Josep Lluís Trapero, Head of Catalonia’s Mossos d’Esquadra regional police force made a statement earlier. Here’s a summary of what’s said so far:
- Police are investigating whether one of the five terrorists killed in Cambrils could have been the driver of the van which killed 13 people in Barcelona
- Three people arrested are from Morocco, one from Spain. Their ages are 21, 27, 34, and 28.
- There were explosives at the house in Alcanar, the location of an explosion on Wednesday, killing one person.
- Police believe attacks were being prepared in that house.
- The assailants were preparing either a terror attack or several attacks in Barcelona.
- Assailants had explosive materials that they wanted to use to attack Barcelona and then Cambrils.
The mood in Las Ramblas, site of the Barcelona attacks, is sombre, but crowds have come out in force, determined not to let what has happened spoil their visits to the city. Their are feelings of anxiety and worry but the locals insist they won’t be cowed by terrorism. These attackers were diverse and killed people from around the world, you have nationals from Italy, Australia, Turkey and Britain amongst the victims.
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