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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/07/barcelona-sants-station-trains-evacuated-spain
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| Grenade-shaped belt buckle prompts evacuation of Spanish rail stations | Grenade-shaped belt buckle prompts evacuation of Spanish rail stations |
| (2 months later) | |
| Police evacuated the main railway stations in Barcelona and Madrid during Wednesday morning’s rush hour after a belt buckle in the shape of a hand grenade triggered a security alert. | Police evacuated the main railway stations in Barcelona and Madrid during Wednesday morning’s rush hour after a belt buckle in the shape of a hand grenade triggered a security alert. |
| The incident, which turned out to be a false alarm, appears to have been caused by a woman carrying the belt buckle on to a train from Barcelona to Madrid. | The incident, which turned out to be a false alarm, appears to have been caused by a woman carrying the belt buckle on to a train from Barcelona to Madrid. |
| The Catalan regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, said an explosives unit was dispatched to the high-speed rail tracks at the central Sants station in Barcelona at 8am following a call from railway workers. | The Catalan regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, said an explosives unit was dispatched to the high-speed rail tracks at the central Sants station in Barcelona at 8am following a call from railway workers. |
| The alarm was triggered after security officers saw an object “with the shape of a possible explosive device” on their scanners. | The alarm was triggered after security officers saw an object “with the shape of a possible explosive device” on their scanners. |
| A photograph released by the force appeared to show the outline of a hand grenade in a suitcase. A police spokesperson said the object was a grenade-shaped belt buckle. | A photograph released by the force appeared to show the outline of a hand grenade in a suitcase. A police spokesperson said the object was a grenade-shaped belt buckle. |
| Two trains were searched before the Mossos declared that the object “posed no threat”. | Two trains were searched before the Mossos declared that the object “posed no threat”. |
| The security alert also led to the evacuation of Madrid’s Atocha station, but police said this was a false alarm. | The security alert also led to the evacuation of Madrid’s Atocha station, but police said this was a false alarm. |
| “Our officers have carried out the appropriate checks at Madrid’s Atocha station and found it was a false alarm,” Spain’s national police said in a tweet. “The police operation is over and everything is back to normal.” | “Our officers have carried out the appropriate checks at Madrid’s Atocha station and found it was a false alarm,” Spain’s national police said in a tweet. “The police operation is over and everything is back to normal.” |
| The Mossos later confirmed that the object and the woman carrying it had been located at Atocha station, adding that police had established that the object was not dangerous. | The Mossos later confirmed that the object and the woman carrying it had been located at Atocha station, adding that police had established that the object was not dangerous. |
| It was unclear why the suspicious case was allowed on to the train. | It was unclear why the suspicious case was allowed on to the train. |
| The rail operator Adif announced an investigation into possible security failures relating to the incident. | The rail operator Adif announced an investigation into possible security failures relating to the incident. |
| At about 9.20am Spain’s national rail company, Renfe, said that a partial high-speed service had been restored at the Barcelona station. | At about 9.20am Spain’s national rail company, Renfe, said that a partial high-speed service had been restored at the Barcelona station. |
| The Mossos also tweeted: “Services are beginning to be restored at Sants station after various specialist units carried out the appropriate checks.” | The Mossos also tweeted: “Services are beginning to be restored at Sants station after various specialist units carried out the appropriate checks.” |
| An Associated Press reporter at Sants station saw long queues of passengers waiting for rail services to resume. | An Associated Press reporter at Sants station saw long queues of passengers waiting for rail services to resume. |
| Atocha station was the site of a bombing in March 2004 which killed 193 people and wounded about 2,000, Spain’s deadliest militant attack. Police say it was carried out by Islamist militants inspired by al-Qaida. | Atocha station was the site of a bombing in March 2004 which killed 193 people and wounded about 2,000, Spain’s deadliest militant attack. Police say it was carried out by Islamist militants inspired by al-Qaida. |
| A homegrown extremist cell killed 16 people in August last year in Barcelona and a nearby coastal resort in consecutive vehicle and knife attacks that were later claimed by the Islamic State group. | A homegrown extremist cell killed 16 people in August last year in Barcelona and a nearby coastal resort in consecutive vehicle and knife attacks that were later claimed by the Islamic State group. |
| Barcelona | Barcelona |
| Rail transport | Rail transport |
| Spain | Spain |
| Europe | Europe |
| news | news |
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