Spanish unity over terrorism breaks down in Catalan spat

IT WAS an outward show of unity in the face of terrorism: Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan president, standing side by side with Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, leading thousands in a cry of “No tinc por (I am not afraid)”.

But behind the proclamations of solidarity at yesterday’s rally in Barcelona, political divisions briefly put aside after last week’s twin terrorist attacks are reemerging with force, as tensions over Catalan’s looming independence referendum fuel a bitter dispute over security failings.

It is a dispute that has been brewing since the double attacks on Barcelona and Cambrils. Just hours after Younes Abouyaaqoub mowed down scores of people on Barcelona’s Las Ramblas, Mr Rajoy stressed that “terrorists are defeated with institutional unity”, and editorials in leading Spanish dailies insisted the bloodshed should be a wakeup call to pro-independence Catalans.

Arguments erupted over the use of Catalan in reporting developments; the Catalan interior secretary apologised for separating “Catalan” and “Spanish” victims in casualty figures.

Claims of missed intelligence began to emerge: the CIA had told Catalan police Las Ramblas was a target; that Catalan authorities ignored a Belgian police warning about the imam suspected to have masterminded the plot.

The Catalan government hit back, accusing Spanish authorities of withholding intelligence and noting that they have no direct contact with foreign agencies. Joan Maria Piqué, a government spokesman, alleged a smear campaign, accusing the Spanish of leaking false information to derail the independence referendum. It was not, he said, Mr Puigdemont who was playing politics but some in Madrid who were “poisonously and viciously” attempting to “benefit from the Barcelona attacks”. The Spanish interior ministry did not comment.