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Barcelona and Cambrils attacks: What we know so far Barcelona and Cambrils attacks: What we know so far
(about 20 hours later)
There have been two attacks in Spain's Catalonia region involving people driving vehicles at crowds at high speeds. A group of jihadists carried out a series of attacks in and around the Spanish city of Barcelona, killing 15 people.
Here is what we know so far. The campaign of violence saw a van mowing down tourists and residents in Barcelona's famous Las Ramblas boulevard, and a car being driven into pedestrians in the popular seaside resort of Cambrils.
What happened?What happened?
On Thursday afternoon at 16:50 local time (14:50 GMT) a white van smashed into people on Las Ramblas, a famous boulevard in central Barcelona that runs 1.2km (0.75 miles) and was packed with tourists. It was at 16:50 (14:50 GMT) on Thursday 17 August that a white van careered down Las Ramblas at high speed, while the avenue that runs 1.2km (0.75 miles) was packed with tourists.
The van driver is said to have zigzagged to try and hit as many people as possible along the pedestrianised area, knocking many to the floor and sending others fleeing for cover in shops and cafes. Witnesses said the driver zigzagged along the pedestrianised area, trying to hit as many people as possible. Many were knocked to the ground while others fled for cover in nearby shops and cafes.
He killed 13 people and injured more than 100, and managed to flee the scene. The driver killed 13 people and injured more than 100, and then fled. Catalan police rushed to scene and told the public to stay in cafes and restaurants as they combed the area for at least one attacker.
Spanish police have described it as a terror attack. They soon described the incident as a terror attack. Eventually police said one man had carried out the van attack, and named him as Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22.
What was the second attack? Eight hours later, a black Audi A3 car ploughed into pedestrians at Cambrils, 100km (68 miles) down the coast from Barcelona. A Spanish woman was killed.
About eight hours later, an Audi A3 car ploughed into pedestrians in the popular seaside resort town of Cambrils, 110km (68 miles) south-west of Barcelona, authorities said. The Audi overturned and five people got out, some wearing fake suicide belts. Four were shot dead by a policeman at the scene. A fifth escaped but was later shot dead.
A woman who was critically injured later died in hospital. Five other civilians and a police officer were hurt. Aftermath of Barcelona attack in pictures
The attackers' vehicle overturned and five people who got out, some of whom were wearing fake suicide belts, were then shot by police. Four died at the scene and one later died of his injuries. Spanish police stop second attack
The Las Ramblas and Cambrils attacks are believed to be linked. A sequence of events
It has since become clear that attacks on the Ramblas and at Cambrils were among several linked events that began the night before at Alcanar, further down the coast from Cambrils.
Up to three people died in the blast shortly after 23:00 on Wednesday night. The explosion reduced the house to rubble. Initially police thought the explosion had been linked to drug traffickers. But police then found 120 gas canisters in the wreckage and now believe the house was being used as a bomb factory and as the headquarters of the jihadist cell.
Spanish reports suggest that an imam, Abdelbaki Es Satty, may have died in the blast, along with another suspect, Youssef Aallaa.
Among the theories is that the jihadists may have intended to target Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia church with explosives.
"They were preparing one or several attacks in Barcelona and an explosion in Alcanar stopped this, as they no longer had the material they needed to commit attacks of an even bigger scope," said Catalonia police official Josep Lluis Trapero.
Barcelona carjacker
Pictures have emerged of suspected Las Ramblas attacker Younes Abouyaaqoub leaving the scene of the van murders and walking through La Boqueria market.
Reports suggest he then headed to the city's university area where he hijacked a white Ford Focus car at knifepoint and killed the driver, Pau Pérez. He then crashed through a police checkpoint, breaking a policewoman's leg, as he tried to leave Barcelona.
The car was found abandoned a few kilometres to the south, at Sant Just Desvern, with the body of Mr Pérez in the back seat. He had been stabbed and is now confirmed as the 15th victim of the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks.
Barcelona suspect identified by police
Who are the main suspects?Who are the main suspects?
The key suspect had been Moussa Oukabir, 17, who was said to have used documents belonging to his brother, Driss Oukabir, 28, to rent the van that mowed down people on Las Ramblas and a second vehicle, later found in the town of Vic and believed to be a getaway car. Younes Abouyaaqoub is still on the run and the main suspect in the Ramblas attack. Police warn he is dangerous and could be armed. Born in Morocco, he was among several members of the cell who lived in the Catalan town of Ripoll, 100km (60 miles) north of Barcelona.
But late on Friday, police changed their focus, saying they were no longer certain that Moussa Oukabir had been the driver. Ripoll imam Abdelbaki Es Satty is thought to be dead. His flat in the village has been raided by police and there are suggestions that he galvanised the cell. The mosque president said the imam had told him he wanted to go back to Morocco. Belgian officials say he spent three months in the town of Vilvoorde in early 2016. The father of two of the Cambrils attackers has accused him of radicalising the young men.
Instead, they pointed to Moroccan-born Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, who lived in the town of Ripoll, 100km (60 miles) north of Barcelona. El Pais newspaper said there was a growing belief that Abouyaacoub was the main suspect. Initially the main focus was on Moussa Oukabir, 17, who was said to have used documents belonging to his brother, Driss Oukabir, 28, to rent the van that mowed down people on Las Ramblas and a second vehicle, later found in the town of Vic and believed to be a getaway car.
The change in police attention came after it became clear that Moussa Oukabir was one of the five shot dead in the Cambrils attack. Driss Oukabir turned himself in in Ripoll on Thursday. Like his brother he had Moroccan as well as Spanish nationality.
The others killed there were Said Aallaa, 18; Mohamed Hychami, 24; Omar Hychami and Houssaine Abouyaaqoub. It soon became clear that Moussa Oukabir was among the five attackers shot dead at Cambrils.
Little is known of Moussa Oukabir, although both brothers had Moroccan as well as Spanish nationality. He was from the northern Catalan city of Girona. The other four attackers killed at Cambrils were Said Aallaa, 18; Mohamed Hychami, 24; Omar Hychami and Houssaine Abouyaaqoub. Said Aallaa is said to have left a note in his room apologising for the harm he was about to cause.
His brother Driss - who reportedly turned himself in, saying his documents had been stolen to rent the vehicles - was arrested in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll on Thursday.
Catalonia's Interior Minister Joaquim Forn, quoted by the Associated Press, said of the Barcelona attacker: "We had local police on the scene, but we were unable to shoot him, as the Ramblas were packed with people."
Who else has been arrested?Who else has been arrested?
Along with Driss Oukabir, two other men were detained in Ripoll - Sahal el-Karib, 34, and Mohammed Aallaa, 27.Along with Driss Oukabir, two other men were detained in Ripoll - Sahal el-Karib, 34, and Mohammed Aallaa, 27.
Mohamed Houli Chemlal was arrested in Alcanar, 200km south of Barcelona, following a house explosion there on Wednesday night. Mohamed Houli Chemlal was arrested in Alcanar following the Wednesday night explosion.
Police also searched the flat of an imam of Ripoll on Saturday.
Abdelbaki Es Satty apparently left the Ripoll mosque abruptly in June and has not been seen since. The mosque president said he had told him he wanted to go back to Morocco.
It remains unclear how many people were involved in the plots.
Why is the Alcanar explosion important?
Police are linking the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks to the blast on Wednesday night that completely destroyed a house in Alcanar.
The house was reportedly filled with bottles of propane and butane.
One person is known to have died but Spanish media say the remains of three people may have been found.
Spanish media say two men still being sought - Youssef Aallaa, the brother of Said, and the imam Abdelbaki Es Satty - may have died in the blast.
Police said on Friday that they believed the blast had thwarted plans for an even bigger attack.
"They were preparing one or several attacks in Barcelona and an explosion in Alcanar stopped this as they no longer had the material they needed to commit attacks of an even bigger scope," said Catalonia police official Josep Lluis Trapero.
Media reports say the jihadist cell may have intended to target Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia church with explosives.
In another incident, a car was driven into officers at a checkpoint at Sant Just Desvern on the outskirts of Barcelona on Thursday evening.
They opened fire. A man was later found dead in the passenger seat of the car with stab wounds. The dead man is not linked to the Las Ramblas attack, officials say, but investigations are ongoing.
One theory is that the car was stolen and the man was killed by the carjacker, who is still at large.
Aftermath of Barcelona attack in pictures
Who are the victims?Who are the victims?
They come from all over the world, with at least 34 nationalities represented.They come from all over the world, with at least 34 nationalities represented.
People from Ireland, the UK, France, Australia, Pakistan, Venezuela, Algeria, Peru, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Ecuador, the US, Argentina, Romania, Cuba, Austria and the Philippines are all reported to be among those hurt.People from Ireland, the UK, France, Australia, Pakistan, Venezuela, Algeria, Peru, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Ecuador, the US, Argentina, Romania, Cuba, Austria and the Philippines are all reported to be among those hurt.
Read more about the victimsRead more about the victims
Barcelona attack: What the trees say
These names of the dead have so far been released:These names of the dead have so far been released:
Two unnamed Portuguese nationals are also confirmed dead. Two Portuguese nationals are also confirmed dead, a woman aged 74 and her 20-year-old granddaughter.
Jared Tucker, a father-of-three, was on honeymoon with his wife of one year, Heidi Nunes, when he died, his father said. Mr Tucker had been enjoying drinks on Las Ramblas when the van struck him.Jared Tucker, a father-of-three, was on honeymoon with his wife of one year, Heidi Nunes, when he died, his father said. Mr Tucker had been enjoying drinks on Las Ramblas when the van struck him.
Ian Moore Wilson was the father of a Vancouver police officer. His wife, Valerie, was injured.Ian Moore Wilson was the father of a Vancouver police officer. His wife, Valerie, was injured.
Julian Cadman's mother was also injured in the attack, and in a serious but stable condition in hospital. The mother of Julian Cadman, the seven year old killed on Las Ramblas, was also injured in the attack and is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
A "small number" of Britons were injured, the UK's Foreign Office said. Was a bigger group behind the attack?
Who is responsible?
So-called Islamic State (IS) has said it was behind both the Las Ramblas and Cambrils attacks and that IS "soldiers" carried them out. But it did not provide any evidence or details to back up the claim.So-called Islamic State (IS) has said it was behind both the Las Ramblas and Cambrils attacks and that IS "soldiers" carried them out. But it did not provide any evidence or details to back up the claim.
Why Spain?Why Spain?
The country is one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations but in recent years has not seen the kind of jihadist violence that has rocked France, the UK, Belgium and Germany. Spain is one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations but in recent years has not seen the kind of jihadist violence that has rocked France, the UK, Belgium and Germany.
Still, Spain has been targeted before - several trains in Madrid, the capital, were bombed by al-Qaeda inspired militants in 2004, killing 191 people.Still, Spain has been targeted before - several trains in Madrid, the capital, were bombed by al-Qaeda inspired militants in 2004, killing 191 people.
The IS news outlet, Amaq, said the attack was carried out as part of efforts to target states fighting in the US-led anti-IS coalition.The IS news outlet, Amaq, said the attack was carried out as part of efforts to target states fighting in the US-led anti-IS coalition.
A few hundred Spanish soldiers are in Iraq, training local forces fighting the Sunni militant group.A few hundred Spanish soldiers are in Iraq, training local forces fighting the Sunni militant group.
How much jihadist activity is there in the country? The number of operations carried out against jihadists in the country has increased significantly since Spain raised its terror alert level to four out of five in June 2015, meaning there was a "high risk" of a terror attack.
The number of operations carried out against jihadists has increased significantly since Spain raised its terror alert level to four out of five in June 2015, meaning there was a "high risk" of a terror attack. Before these attacks, 51 suspected jihadists had already been detained this year, while 69 were detained last year, and 75 in 2015.
Before these attacks, 51 suspected jihadists had already been detained in the country this year, while 69 were detained last year, and 75 were detained in 2015, according to El Pais.
Spain's long anti-terror experienceSpain's long anti-terror experience
Security and surveillance was stepped up in the wake of truck attacks in the French city of Nice in July 2016 and the German capital Berlin in December.Security and surveillance was stepped up in the wake of truck attacks in the French city of Nice in July 2016 and the German capital Berlin in December.
On Twitter, the Spanish royal household posted: "They are murderers, nothing more than criminals who are not going to terrorise us. All of Spain is Barcelona."On Twitter, the Spanish royal household posted: "They are murderers, nothing more than criminals who are not going to terrorise us. All of Spain is Barcelona."
How has the world reacted?
World leaders have offered support and message of solidarity.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona".
US President Donald Trump quickly condemned the attack on Twitter but has come under fire for invoking a debunked myth about a general who fought Islamist militants by using pig's blood to commit mass executions.