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Barcelona attack: Royals attend special Mass for victims Barcelona attack: Spain terror cell had 120 gas canisters
(about 2 hours later)
King Felipe and Queen Letizia have attended Barcelona's famous Sagrada Familia to mourn the 14 people killed in vehicle attacks in Catalonia. A 12-strong terror cell that carried out two attacks this week had 120 gas canisters and planned to use them in vehicle attacks, Spanish police say.
Police are still hunting the driver of a van that killed 13 at Barcelona's Las Ramblas. A 14th victim died in a second attack at Cambrils. Canisters were found at a house said to be used by the cell that blew up in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday night.
Ministers say the jihadist cell behind the attacks has been dismantled. They say they know who was driving the van that killed 13 people at Las Ramblas in Barcelona but will not name him. He is still at large.
But police are still hunting for the van driver and an imam missing from a mosque in the town of Ripoll. On Sunday, a Mass was held in Barcelona to mourn the victims.
Sunday's special Mass was celebrated at the iconic, Gaudi-designed Sagrada Familia. In addition to the 13 killed on Thursday afternoon at Las Ramblas, a woman died in a second vehicle attack early on Friday in the town of Cambrils.
Some reports in Spanish media say the jihadist cell had intended to target the church with explosives. Five suspected jihadists were shot dead by police in the second attack.
PM Mariano Rajoy also attended the Mass, where there was tight security, with snipers on rooftops outside. Catalan police chief Josep Lluis Trapero has given an update of the operation.
He said the cell was still believed to be 12 strong and had been planning attacks for more than six months. One person remained at large and there were two sets of human remains to be identified, he said. Four other people are under arrest.
The person at large was the driver of the van, Mr Trapero said, adding that police knew his identity but would not reveal it.
But police have confirmed they are hunting Moroccan-born Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, who Spanish media say was the driver.
The two sets of remains to be identified may refer to victims of the house explosion at Alcanar.
Spanish media have speculated the two may be Youssef Aallaa, the brother of one of the suspected jihadists killed at Cambrils, and Abdelbaki Es Satty, an imam from the town of Ripoll, north of Barcelona, where a number of the suspects are from.
The imam apparently left the 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.
"We're starting to see clearly that [the Alcanar house] was the place where they were preparing explosives for one or more attacks in the city of Barcelona," Mr Trapero said.
He added: "We are not in a position to say what caused the radicalisation of these people."
Mr Trapero said police could not rule out that the suspect still at large had crossed the French border, although he had "no specific information on this".
It is now known that three vehicles were rented under the credit card of Younes Abouyaaqoub.
One was used in the Las Ramblas attack, another was found after the attack in the town of Vic and a third in Ripoll.
Mr Trapero said the cell had planned to fill all three with explosive material to carry out attacks.
On Sunday, King Felipe and Queen Letizia attended Barcelona's Sagrada Familia to mourn those killed in the attacks
Some reports in Spanish media say the jihadist cell had intended to target the iconic, Gaudi-designed church with explosives.
Cardinal Juan José Omella, the Archbishop of Barcelona, called for peace and unity, saying: "We will overcome fear."Cardinal Juan José Omella, the Archbishop of Barcelona, called for peace and unity, saying: "We will overcome fear."
He read a message from Pope Francis, which said the pontiff "condemns once again the violence, which is a very grave offence against the creator, and he prays to God for help so we can continue working for peace and harmony in the world".He read a message from Pope Francis, which said the pontiff "condemns once again the violence, which is a very grave offence against the creator, and he prays to God for help so we can continue working for peace and harmony in the world".
Cardinal Omella also said at the Mass, in fiercely independent Catalonia: "The union makes us strong, the division corrodes us and destroys us."Cardinal Omella also said at the Mass, in fiercely independent Catalonia: "The union makes us strong, the division corrodes us and destroys us."
On Saturday, the royal couple laid a wreath at the site of the attack at Las Ramblas, accompanied by Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau and Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.
Later on Sunday, Barcelona FC will hold their first league game of the season, with 100,000 expected at the Camp Nou, where there will be a minute's silence.Later on Sunday, Barcelona FC will hold their first league game of the season, with 100,000 expected at the Camp Nou, where there will be a minute's silence.
On Saturday, Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said the jihadist cell behind the attacks, believed to be about 12 strong, had been fully dismantled, despite the continuing search for the driver.
Catalan Interior Minster Joaquim Forn was more circumspect, stressing that the police operation could not be considered over until all those suspected of being part of the cell were in custody.
Moroccan-born Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, believed to be the van driver who escaped after the Barcelona attack, remains the focus of the manhunt.
However, there is also a search for an imam of the mosque at Ripoll, the town north of Barcelona where a number of the suspected cell members came from.
The apartment of the imam, Abdelbaki Es Satty, was raided on Saturday.
The imam apparently left the 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.
Police sources and Spanish media say Mr Es Satty may have died in an explosion at a house in Alcanar, south of Barcelona, on Wednesday night.
Catalonia police say the cell was preparing a much larger attack and the house may have been a bomb factory.
Police have remove dozens of gas canisters from the house and have carried out controlled explosions.
El Pais says police have found biological remains of at least three people in the house but their identities are yet to be determined.
Who are the suspects?Who are the suspects?
So-called Islamic State (IS) said it had carried out the Las Ramblas attack, though it is not clear whether any of the attackers were directly connected to the group or simply inspired by it.So-called Islamic State (IS) said it had carried out the Las Ramblas attack, though it is not clear whether any of the attackers were directly connected to the group or simply inspired by it.
The Muslim community of Ripoll has condemned the attacks. Thursday's attack in the Catalan capital saw a van driven at high speed along Las Ramblas where it hit dozens of people walking along the pedestrianised avenue popular with tourists and residents.
A notice posted on a Ripoll mosque said: "Faced with this criminal act, the Annour Islamic Community of Ripoll reiterates its complete commitment to the fight against any form of terrorism, and we hope that those responsible for this attack are arrested and taken before a judge as soon as possible."
Catalan police have set up major roadblocks throughout the region, warning people there may be significant travel disruption.
But Mr Zoido said the nation's current alert level would not be raised as there was no warning of another imminent attack.
Thursday's attack in the Catalan capital saw a van driven at high speed along Las Ramblas where it smashed into dozens of people walking along the pedestrianised avenue popular with tourists and residents.
Hours later, early on Friday, there was a second van attack in Cambrils, west of Barcelona. A woman was killed and police shot dead five suspected jihadists.Hours later, early on Friday, there was a second van attack in Cambrils, west of Barcelona. A woman was killed and police shot dead five suspected jihadists.
What do we know about the victims?What do we know about the victims?
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 unnamed Portuguese nationals are also confirmed dead.
The whereabouts of seven-year-old Julian Cadman, a dual British-Australian national apparently separated from his injured mother during the attack, remains unclear. He was widely reported to be missing.The whereabouts of seven-year-old Julian Cadman, a dual British-Australian national apparently separated from his injured mother during the attack, remains unclear. He was widely reported to be missing.
However, the Catalan police, responding to inquiries, tweeted that they had neither been looking for nor found any missing child. The victims and the injured had all been located, they said.However, the Catalan police, responding to inquiries, tweeted that they had neither been looking for nor found any missing child. The victims and the injured had all been located, they said.
The latest breakdown from Catalan emergency services on the injured reads:The latest breakdown from Catalan emergency services on the injured reads:
More on the victimsMore on the victims
Timeline of eventsTimeline of events