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| Alcanar: the coastal idyll where young militants hatched Barcelona plot | Alcanar: the coastal idyll where young militants hatched Barcelona plot |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The young men on powerful motorbikes had been coming and going for months, the throbbing sound of Kawasaki engines and the scattering of stones on the track leading to their country house in Alcanar, eastern Spain, announcing their arrival. | The young men on powerful motorbikes had been coming and going for months, the throbbing sound of Kawasaki engines and the scattering of stones on the track leading to their country house in Alcanar, eastern Spain, announcing their arrival. |
| Neighbours doubted the men, mostly young-looking and all seemingly of north African origin, had rented the house as a holiday home – despite the views out across the sparkling Mediterranean from this ramshackle estate of properties surrounded by scrub, pines and small olive groves. But they knew that Banco Popular had repossessed it and, having lived through a destructive, loan-fuelled property crash, Spaniards tend not to feel much concern when such properties are squatted. | Neighbours doubted the men, mostly young-looking and all seemingly of north African origin, had rented the house as a holiday home – despite the views out across the sparkling Mediterranean from this ramshackle estate of properties surrounded by scrub, pines and small olive groves. But they knew that Banco Popular had repossessed it and, having lived through a destructive, loan-fuelled property crash, Spaniards tend not to feel much concern when such properties are squatted. |
| “Perhaps someone should have called the police,” said Carmen Circiumaru, who lives a few doors away. “But they never did anything that seemed especially suspicious.” Indeed, the young men, and at least one older, bearded man who sometimes appeared here, were quiet and respectful. | “Perhaps someone should have called the police,” said Carmen Circiumaru, who lives a few doors away. “But they never did anything that seemed especially suspicious.” Indeed, the young men, and at least one older, bearded man who sometimes appeared here, were quiet and respectful. |
| It was not until an explosion ripped through the building on Wednesday night, raining masonry and human remains on to their gardens, that people began to worry. And when, hours later, a van ploughed through the crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, that worry built into something else. | It was not until an explosion ripped through the building on Wednesday night, raining masonry and human remains on to their gardens, that people began to worry. And when, hours later, a van ploughed through the crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, that worry built into something else. |
| Investigators now believe this was where the events of Thursday and Friday started. Police carried out controlled explosions at the house yesterday morning and continued to pick through the rubble to try to understand how a dozen young men – at least one of whom, at 17, is still legally a minor – brought carnage to Catalonia. | Investigators now believe this was where the events of Thursday and Friday started. Police carried out controlled explosions at the house yesterday morning and continued to pick through the rubble to try to understand how a dozen young men – at least one of whom, at 17, is still legally a minor – brought carnage to Catalonia. |
| Police have now arrested the only survivor of the Alcanar explosion, Mohamed Houli Chemlal, who had been taken to a hospital in nearby Tortosa. The remains of at least one other man were found in the rubble on Friday. Spanish media are linking those remains to an overnight raid on the apartment of Abdelbaki Es Satty, 40, a former imam in the country town of Ripoll, northern Catalonia, but there is no confirmation from police. Chemlal, who was born in the Spanish north African enclave of Melilla, lived in the same town. | Police have now arrested the only survivor of the Alcanar explosion, Mohamed Houli Chemlal, who had been taken to a hospital in nearby Tortosa. The remains of at least one other man were found in the rubble on Friday. Spanish media are linking those remains to an overnight raid on the apartment of Abdelbaki Es Satty, 40, a former imam in the country town of Ripoll, northern Catalonia, but there is no confirmation from police. Chemlal, who was born in the Spanish north African enclave of Melilla, lived in the same town. |
| Two more people have since been arrested in Ripoll and at least three of those shot in Cambrils were from the town. Only one member of the cell is thought to remain at large – Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, from Ripoll, now Europe’s most wanted man. He went to school there and was described by former classmates as quiet and well-behaved. Abouyaaqoub was at the wheel of the van that drove down Las Ramblas. | Two more people have since been arrested in Ripoll and at least three of those shot in Cambrils were from the town. Only one member of the cell is thought to remain at large – Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, from Ripoll, now Europe’s most wanted man. He went to school there and was described by former classmates as quiet and well-behaved. Abouyaaqoub was at the wheel of the van that drove down Las Ramblas. |
| Spain is in mourning this weekend, but the death toll could have been much worse. These were not expert bomb-makers, nor, it seems, experienced fighters returning from Syria or Iraq. None was viewed by police as anything more than a petty crook. They were seen as high-school dropouts and radicalised youths – perhaps low-level drug dealers. | Spain is in mourning this weekend, but the death toll could have been much worse. These were not expert bomb-makers, nor, it seems, experienced fighters returning from Syria or Iraq. None was viewed by police as anything more than a petty crook. They were seen as high-school dropouts and radicalised youths – perhaps low-level drug dealers. |
| The house in Alcanar was reduced to rubble by the blast. The first to reach the site immediately saw the source of the explosion – hissing bottles of gas, filling the air with fumes. | The house in Alcanar was reduced to rubble by the blast. The first to reach the site immediately saw the source of the explosion – hissing bottles of gas, filling the air with fumes. |
| Police have so far recovered more than 100 gas bottles. Many remain intact. A truckful of these attached to a bomb could have caused vast damage. Police believe the attackers were preparing up to three such “van bombs”. | Police have so far recovered more than 100 gas bottles. Many remain intact. A truckful of these attached to a bomb could have caused vast damage. Police believe the attackers were preparing up to three such “van bombs”. |
| The explosion forced the cell to change their plans, believing that police were about to catch them. In fact, police at first suspected the house had been used for storing, cooking or growing illegal drugs. Trapped gas caused a second explosion on Thursday afternoon, sending more rubble into nearby properties. At about the same time as that explosion, Abouyaaqoub was steering one of the two vans the cell had rented through Barcelona towards the short, broad Pelai street that leads to the top of Las Ramblas. | The explosion forced the cell to change their plans, believing that police were about to catch them. In fact, police at first suspected the house had been used for storing, cooking or growing illegal drugs. Trapped gas caused a second explosion on Thursday afternoon, sending more rubble into nearby properties. At about the same time as that explosion, Abouyaaqoub was steering one of the two vans the cell had rented through Barcelona towards the short, broad Pelai street that leads to the top of Las Ramblas. |
| Five hundred metres down the road, the van came to a halt and Abouyaaqoub, wearing a striped T-shirt and white cap, ran into the narrow streets of the Raval neighbourhood. Behind him lay chaos. Dead and injured from 22 countries were scattered across the pavements. One unidentified British victim was still in hospital last night, according to La Vanguardia newspaper. Several of the dead have yet to be named. | Five hundred metres down the road, the van came to a halt and Abouyaaqoub, wearing a striped T-shirt and white cap, ran into the narrow streets of the Raval neighbourhood. Behind him lay chaos. Dead and injured from 22 countries were scattered across the pavements. One unidentified British victim was still in hospital last night, according to La Vanguardia newspaper. Several of the dead have yet to be named. |
| As panicked tourists sought refuge in bars, shops, hotels and restaurants that swiftly dropped their metal blinds, a manhunt through surrounding streets failed to find Abouyaaqoub. Roadblocks were set up, snarling up the traffic and filtering cars past the eyes of police. Among other vehicles, police were seeking a second white van from the Telefurgo company that had been rented at the same time as the one on Las Ramblas. | As panicked tourists sought refuge in bars, shops, hotels and restaurants that swiftly dropped their metal blinds, a manhunt through surrounding streets failed to find Abouyaaqoub. Roadblocks were set up, snarling up the traffic and filtering cars past the eyes of police. Among other vehicles, police were seeking a second white van from the Telefurgo company that had been rented at the same time as the one on Las Ramblas. |
| Two hours later, a Ford Focus accelerated through one of these checkpoints where the already broad Avinguda Diagonal road turns into a multilane motorway. The driver ran over a policewoman’s foot. Three kilometres later the car was abandoned. It contained the body of a man who had been stabbed to death. The driver had disappeared. | Two hours later, a Ford Focus accelerated through one of these checkpoints where the already broad Avinguda Diagonal road turns into a multilane motorway. The driver ran over a policewoman’s foot. Three kilometres later the car was abandoned. It contained the body of a man who had been stabbed to death. The driver had disappeared. |
| By now, however, the other hired van had been found – parked outside a Burger King in the town of Vic, an hour’s drive from Barcelona. Documents showed the van (or vans) had been rented by Driss Oukabir, whose photograph was immediately released. Very soon, however, Oukabir, 27, walked through the doors of the police station in Ripoll, saying his passport had been stolen. It was only now that police began to realise how young the attackers might be, since the thief was Oukabir’s brother, Moussa, aged 17. | By now, however, the other hired van had been found – parked outside a Burger King in the town of Vic, an hour’s drive from Barcelona. Documents showed the van (or vans) had been rented by Driss Oukabir, whose photograph was immediately released. Very soon, however, Oukabir, 27, walked through the doors of the police station in Ripoll, saying his passport had been stolen. It was only now that police began to realise how young the attackers might be, since the thief was Oukabir’s brother, Moussa, aged 17. |
| As night fell, Moussa was preparing a second attack with four others – mostly friends from Ripoll, including Mohamed Hychami, 24, and Said Aalla,18, who played in the local five-a-side football league. They no longer had explosives. But they had a blue Audi A3 car, and knives and axes. The London attack in Borough Market in June showed this was enough to cause carnage. | As night fell, Moussa was preparing a second attack with four others – mostly friends from Ripoll, including Mohamed Hychami, 24, and Said Aalla,18, who played in the local five-a-side football league. They no longer had explosives. But they had a blue Audi A3 car, and knives and axes. The London attack in Borough Market in June showed this was enough to cause carnage. |
| The attackers’ plan was seemingly to find another busy pedestrian walkway, run people down and then jump out of the car with weapons. Such crowds can be found all along the Catalan coast tourist resorts. It is unclear why they chose Cambrils, a quiet resort where most people are tucked up in bed by 1am. But this was when the car ran down some pedestrians and then rammed a police car at a checkpoint on the beach road. | The attackers’ plan was seemingly to find another busy pedestrian walkway, run people down and then jump out of the car with weapons. Such crowds can be found all along the Catalan coast tourist resorts. It is unclear why they chose Cambrils, a quiet resort where most people are tucked up in bed by 1am. But this was when the car ran down some pedestrians and then rammed a police car at a checkpoint on the beach road. |
| The reaction was swift and deadly. Four were killed after they scrambled out of the overturned vehicle, reportedly by a single police officer. “One of them was shouting about Allah as he ran down the road,” said witness José Ramon Arana, who watched from his second-floor, seafront balcony. | The reaction was swift and deadly. Four were killed after they scrambled out of the overturned vehicle, reportedly by a single police officer. “One of them was shouting about Allah as he ran down the road,” said witness José Ramon Arana, who watched from his second-floor, seafront balcony. |
| “You could hear the bullets zinging as they bounced off the pavement.” A fifth attacker – who video footage shows looked much like Oukabir – escaped but was later found on the seafront. “On the ground! On the ground!” police shouted, but, instead, he shouted back at them. He was shot, fell down, but then got up again and ran towards them. Further shots rang out and he collapsed. Soon he, too, was dead. | “You could hear the bullets zinging as they bounced off the pavement.” A fifth attacker – who video footage shows looked much like Oukabir – escaped but was later found on the seafront. “On the ground! On the ground!” police shouted, but, instead, he shouted back at them. He was shot, fell down, but then got up again and ran towards them. Further shots rang out and he collapsed. Soon he, too, was dead. |
| As police identified the corpses, the Ripoll connection became stronger. The first three bodies to be identified – of Oukabir, Aalla and Hychami – were all from the town. In this town, with its population of just 10,500, 500 of whom were born in Morocco, few people remain unnoticed. “Everyone, more or less, knows the Oukabir brothers,” said a neighbour. | As police identified the corpses, the Ripoll connection became stronger. The first three bodies to be identified – of Oukabir, Aalla and Hychami – were all from the town. In this town, with its population of just 10,500, 500 of whom were born in Morocco, few people remain unnoticed. “Everyone, more or less, knows the Oukabir brothers,” said a neighbour. |
| A rebellious Driss had been to jail when younger but was considered to have mended his ways. Moussa had studied to become a school administrative assistant and was on a work-training programme. His family had tried to fit in to this Catalan town whose north African immigrants, now an established community, mostly work on farms. His mother, who had attended Catalan classes as the family tried to assimilate, was reported to be distraught. “The family say it is better for him that he is dead,” the local Ara newspaper reported. | A rebellious Driss had been to jail when younger but was considered to have mended his ways. Moussa had studied to become a school administrative assistant and was on a work-training programme. His family had tried to fit in to this Catalan town whose north African immigrants, now an established community, mostly work on farms. His mother, who had attended Catalan classes as the family tried to assimilate, was reported to be distraught. “The family say it is better for him that he is dead,” the local Ara newspaper reported. |
| The two other arrested men, apart from Oukabir and Chemlal, are Aalla’s brother and Salh El Karib, aged 30. | The two other arrested men, apart from Oukabir and Chemlal, are Aalla’s brother and Salh El Karib, aged 30. |
| How this group came together to form a terror cell remains a mystery. None of those identified was a known radical – though questions are now being asked about the oldest alleged member of the cell, Es Satty. Nor had they been caught up in the Spanish method for dealing with the Islamist terror threat – which involves arresting suspects on even thin evidence or minor crimes, in the knowledge that they may be almost immediately released by magistrates. Until now, with no serious attack in Spain since a similar gang of radicalised petty crooks planted a dozen bombs on Madrid commuter trains in 2004, this tactic had appeared to work. | How this group came together to form a terror cell remains a mystery. None of those identified was a known radical – though questions are now being asked about the oldest alleged member of the cell, Es Satty. Nor had they been caught up in the Spanish method for dealing with the Islamist terror threat – which involves arresting suspects on even thin evidence or minor crimes, in the knowledge that they may be almost immediately released by magistrates. Until now, with no serious attack in Spain since a similar gang of radicalised petty crooks planted a dozen bombs on Madrid commuter trains in 2004, this tactic had appeared to work. |
| More than a quarter of arrests over the past five years have been in and around Barcelona and 18 people have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism in Catalonia so far this year. With almost half a million Muslims among its population of 7 million, experts disagree over whether there are signs of growing radicalisation. But young Muslims frustrated at their inability to integrate are among those most susceptible to radicalisation. Second-generation immigrants, who have been a common denominator in many terror attacks in Europe, are far more common in Catalonia than other parts of Spain. | More than a quarter of arrests over the past five years have been in and around Barcelona and 18 people have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism in Catalonia so far this year. With almost half a million Muslims among its population of 7 million, experts disagree over whether there are signs of growing radicalisation. But young Muslims frustrated at their inability to integrate are among those most susceptible to radicalisation. Second-generation immigrants, who have been a common denominator in many terror attacks in Europe, are far more common in Catalonia than other parts of Spain. |
| With police pressure so intense, the house in Alcanar – tucked away, with mostly foreigners for neighbours – must have seemed a perfect base. A tray sits on the bar at Hostal Montecarlo, 100 metres away, covered with dust and masonry blasted on to the hostel’s terrace from the bomb factory. Future clues about what the cell was planning, and information about any ties to Isis, will probably come from the same place. | With police pressure so intense, the house in Alcanar – tucked away, with mostly foreigners for neighbours – must have seemed a perfect base. A tray sits on the bar at Hostal Montecarlo, 100 metres away, covered with dust and masonry blasted on to the hostel’s terrace from the bomb factory. Future clues about what the cell was planning, and information about any ties to Isis, will probably come from the same place. |
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