MASSACRE
Terror in Barcelona
AT least 13 people died and 100 were injured when a van was driven into crowds in a terror attack in the centre of Barcelona.
Pedestrians dived for cover as the vehicle reached speeds of 60mph on Las Ramblas.
Two suspects, one named as Driss Oukabir, were held and another man was shot dead.
British visitor Aamer Anwar said: “Everyone was just in panic mode.” Last night ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
DOZENS of victims lay motionless on the ground or screamed out in agony after a terrorist driving a van mowed them down on a street in Barcelona.
The vehicle sped through a pedestrian crossing then mounted the pavement and smashed into people at an estimated 60mph, murdering at least 13 and injuring 100.
Witnesses said the van careered into people for around 500 yards.
Authorities said two men have been arrested and another suspect was shot dead by police after the attack.
The rental van was driven into the crowd in the tourist district of Las Ramblas in the centre of the city.
Scottish human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, who was caught up in the chaos, said: “All of a sudden, we heard the crashing noise and the whole of the street started to run.
“I saw a woman next to me screaming for her kids. Everyone is just in panic mode.”
The method used in the attack is similar to recent atrocities in cities such as London and Nice.
Witnesses dived for cover in Las Ramblas avenue after seeing the vehicle ploughing into pedestrians outside a kosher restaurant at around 4.05pm British time yesterday.
One witness said the van “knocked people down while they were crossing at a traffic light”.
Horrifying video footage showed the appalling aftermath.
Armed officers swarmed to the scene amid reports of at least one man jumping out of the white Fiat van and running from the scene.
As hundreds of people scrambled to safety after the attack, gunshots reportedly rang out in the nearby food market La Boqueria.
It was said the van used in the attack was rented by a man calling himself Driss Oukabir.
He was named as a suspect before being arrested after turning up at a police station in his home town of Ripoll, 65 miles north of Barcelona, where he reported that his identification documents had been stolen by his brother, local media said last night.
A Facebook site belonging to a Driss Oukabir revealed numerous racist and derogatory statements including posts about Israeli occupation of Palestine and another concerning Miss Morocco 2016 dressing in Western clothes. It is understood the van was rented in the town of Santa Perpetua de la Mogada, 25 miles from the attack.
Driss Oukabir, who police said was born in Morocco in 1989, wrote on his social media account that he was from Marseille and living in Ripoll. In other posts he complained that a man “isn’t even Muslim” because he was dressed in Western clothes. It was alleged an account linked to him posted an antisemitic video alleging a global Jewish conspiracy to take over the world. Dozens of police vans and ambulances attended the scene at Las Ramblas, with paramedics treating people on the ground. Police evacuated the avenue, one of the busiest areas in the city, and the nearby main square La Placa de Catalunya. Video footage showed armed officers filing along Barcelona’s streets in a pincer movement as they carried out building to building checks,
searching for the killer and any possible accomplices.
A bomb disposal team was last night examining a second hire van thought to be connected to the attack, after being found in the town of Vic, 40 miles from Barcelona.
The first arrest was in Barcelona. Catalan media said the second arrest was in Manlleu, just north of Vic and about 13 miles south of Ripoll.
The van came to a halt on top of a Joan Miro mosaic, which is around halfway down Las Ramblas
There is a wide pedestrianised area in the centre of the street, but cars can travel on either side.
A passport belonging to a Spanish national was reportedly found in the van as authorities said the driver was a 5ft 5in man, wearing a white shirt with blue stripes.
The assault is the worst terror attack in Spain since the 2004 Madrid train bombings which claimed the lives of 192 people and injured around 2,000.
Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said yesterday: “The terrorists will never defeat a united people who love freedom in the face of barbarism.” Theresa May said her thoughts are with the victims of the “terrible attack” in Barcelona, adding: “The UK stands with Spain against terror.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Terrible reports from Barcelona.
“My thoughts are with those killed and injured, and the emergency services working to save lives.” In the chaos, the Foreign Office released a statement warning any affected Brits to “stay inside and stay away from the Las Ramblas area of the city”. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted: “My thoughts are with the victims of this barbaric terrorist attack in the great city of Barcelona and with their brave emergency services.”
Mr Khan added: “London stands with Barcelona against the evil of terrorism.” US President Donald Trump said America was ready to help the Spanish authorities. Barcelona football club said it was “deeply saddened by the attack on our city”. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the atrocity.
The mayor of Barcelona Adu Colau said terror would “not stop us being who we are: a city open to the world, brave and caring”.
Colau added that the city would hold a minute of silence today at noon.
A woman next to me was screaming for her kids WITNESS ON THE HORRIFIC ATTACK