[Spain: Terrorist attack, Barcelona / Cambrils, 17-18 August 2017]: Barcelona and Cambrils attacks – what we know so far

Series Title
Series Details 18.08.17
Publication Date 17/08/2017
Content Type

Terrorism hit Catalonia on the 17 August 2017. At least 13 people were killed and 100 were injured, 15 critically, after a van crashed into the crowds in la Rambla, Barcelona, Spain at approximately 17:00 on the 17 August 2017.

Catalan police took two people in custody, a man from Morocco and another one from Melilla. Neither of them was the driver of the van, who fled the scene on foot.

Hours later, six civilians and one police officer were injured during a second attack in Cambrils, a coastal town 120km from the Catalan capital (One person subsequently died). Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, shot down and killed five alleged terrorists. Police confirmed them to be amongst the suspects of the earlier attack in Barcelona.

The terrorist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, as reported by its news agency, Amaq.

Catalonia declared three days of mourning. A one-minute period of silence to remember all the victims was held in the Plaça de Catalunya, near la Rambla, on the 18 August 2017.

Catalan, Spanish, European and world leaders condemned the attacks.

During the previous year there had been similar lorry attacks in other European cities including Nice, London, Stockholm, Paris and Berlin.

In a separate incident, but what the police thought was linked to the incidents in Barcelona and Cambrils, there had been an explosion in a flat in the Catalan town of Alcanar on the 16 August 2017. Police said they thought the occupants had been preparing an explosive. Subsequently, security forces said that a 12-man jihadist cell had been operating unknown that had been planning a major bomb attack before an accidental explosion forced a change of plans. The cell was allegedly led by an imam Abdelbaki Es Satty.

By the 20 August 2017 police were saying that it was thought that the driver of the van in Barcelona was thought to be a Moroccan national called Younes Abouyaaqoub. He was still free and on the run or in hiding. It was announced by the Catalan police on the 21 August 2017 that he had killed by them in the Catalan municipality of Subirats. It was also announced that the driver of a van hijacked by Younes Abouyaaqou on the 17 August 2017 had died of stab wounds bringing the total number of victims of the incidents to 15.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.catalannews.com/society-science/item/barcelona-and-cambrils-attacks-what-we-know-so-far
Related Links
El País, 20.08.17: How an imam created the terror cell behind the Barcelona terror attack https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/08/20/inenglish/1503229267_859569.html
The Local.es, 20.08.17: Muslims fear anti-Islam backlash in tolerant Barcelona https://www.thelocal.es/20170820/muslims-fear-anti-islam-backlash-in-tolerant-barcelona
Catalan News, 19.08.17: Barcelona to hold big anti-terror rally next Saturday http://www.catalannews.com/society-science/item/barcelona-to-hold-big-anti-terror-rally-next-saturday
EurActiv, 21.08.17: Police reveal international dimensions of Barcelona attack http://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/police-reveal-international-dimensions-of-barcelona-attack/
EurActiv: Tag: Barcelona attack http://www.euractiv.com/topics/barcelona-attack/
European Commission: STATEMENT/17/ 2642 (17.08.17): Statement by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker following the attack in Barcelona http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-17-2642_en.htm
The Guardian: Tag: Spain attacks: Barcelona van attack https://www.theguardian.com/world/barcelona-van-attack
Deutsche Welle: Tag: Barcelona terror attack http://www.dw.com/search/en?languageCode=en&origin=gN&item=Barcelona+terror+attack&searchNavigationId=9097
The Guardian, 17.08.17: [Analysis]: Nature of Las Ramblas attack provides harsh lessons in fight against terror https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/17/nature-of-attack-in-las-ramblas-provides-harsh-lessons-in-fight-against-terror
EUObserver, 18.08.17: Death toll rising from Barcelona attack https://euobserver.com/justice/138759
The Local.es, 18.08.17: LIVE Barcelona attacks: Police hunt driver of van believed to be 18-year-old Moussa Oukabir https://www.thelocal.es/20170818/barcelona-attacks-latest
The Conversation: Tag: Barcelona attack https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/barcelona-attack-42054
Euro|Topics: Debates, August 2017: Terror in Barcelona / Terror in Spain: how to respond http://www.eurotopics.net/en/184585/terror-in-spain-how-to-respond
El País, 22.08.17: Imam’s softly-softly approach forces rethink in combating radicalization https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/08/22/inenglish/1503391852_377921.html
The Local.es, 22.08.17: Spain suspect admits terror cell planned much bigger attack https://www.thelocal.es/20170822/spain-suspect-admits-terror-cell-planned-much-bigger-attack
El País, 31.08.17: Catalan regional government admits it received warning of possible attack https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/08/31/inenglish/1504177072_344091.html
Catalan News, 31.08.17: 'A CIA warning to the Mossos?' http://www.catalannews.com/component/zoo/item/31-aug-17-tv-news-a-cia-warning-to-the-mossos
Catalan News, 28.08.17: International police information ‘does not flow’ from Spain to Catalonia http://www.catalannews.com/society-science/item/international-police-information-does-not-flow-from-spain-to-catalonia
ESO: Key source: Terrorism in Europe http://www.europeansources.info/record/terrorism-in-europe/
El País, 17.08.17: Barcelona terror attack: At least 13 confirmed dead after van drives into crowd in city center https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/08/17/inenglish/1502984108_305527.html
El País: Tag: Atentado terrorista en Barcelona (Articles in Spanish) https://elpais.com/tag/atentado_barcelona_17_agosto_2017/a/
BBC News, 17.08.17: Barcelona: 13 killed as van rams crowds in Las Ramblas http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40965581
Politico: Tag: Barcelona Terror Attack, August 2017 http://www.politico.eu/tag/barcelona-terror-attack/
Council of Europe: News, 18.08.17: Terrorist attacks in Spain http://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/terrorist-attacks-in-spain
Politico, 18-20.08.17: Barcelona’s strong ties to radical Islam http://www.politico.eu/article/barcelonas-strong-ties-to-radical-islam/
El País, 21.08.17: Chief suspect in Barcelona terrorist attack killed by Catalan police https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/08/21/inenglish/1503326716_430237.html
Catalan News, 18.08.17: Catalan and Spanish governments express commitment to fighting terrorism after Barcelona attack http://www.catalannews.com/politics/item/catalan-and-spanish-governments-express-commitment-to-fighting-terrorism-after-barcelona-attack
Deutsche Welle, 18.08.17: Jihadism in Catalonia. Catalonia's Islamic extremism problem http://p.dw.com/p/2iUFH

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