A van plowed through crowds on a street in Barcelona, Spain on Thursday afternoon, killing 13 and injuring about 100 others in what officials are now saying was a Jihadist terror attack. The driver fled the scene and a manhunt is underway.
Police say the Fiat van used in the attack was leased to a man named Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan-born legal resident of the European Union. Oukabir and another suspect are in police custody. Oukabir claims that his ID papers, found in the van, were stolen by his 18-year old brother before the attack. A third suspect was arrested Friday morning in Ripoll, 65 miles from Barcelona.
Later in the day, six civilians and one policeman were injured in a second ramming attack that took place in Cambrils, about 75 miles from Barcelona. Another policeman then shot and killed five suspects, some of who were reportedly wearing fake explosive vests. Police are working on the hypothesis that the two attacks were related,m perhaps using the same driver.
Los presuntos terroristas abatidos en Cambrils. pic.twitter.com/RCqFNa3fpv
— Jordi Archilla (@JordiArchilla) August 18, 2017
Police believe that a massive explosion on Wednesday night that leveled a house in Catalonia, 125 miles from Barcelona, was related to the terror attacks on Thursday. Police believe the explosion was caused when the residents were attempting to make explosives to be used in a terror attack. One man of Moroccan origin was killed in the blast. Local sources indicate that the collapsed house was inhabited by two Moroccan brothers.
The Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, said the whole country stands in solidarity with Barcelona, blaming “jihadi terrorism”.
The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack via its Amaq News Agency, saying it was carried out by, “soldiers of the Islamic State.”
Oukabir’s social media accounts contained antisemitic, anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian, and anti-Christian posts. The attack took place near two kosher restaurants; Maccabi, and Maoz Falafel, though officials emphasized the attack did not target Jews. Rabbi Meir Bar Chen, the Chief Rabbi of Barcelona and a member of the Standing Committee of the European Rabbinical Conference, said that police ordered Jewish institutions in Barcelona to close following the attacks.
Israel expressed solidarity with the people of Barcelona by lighting up Tel Aviv municipality building, situated in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square, with the colors of the Spain.
“Israel condemns the terrorist attack in Barcelona. On behalf of the citizens of Israel, I send condolences to families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
