BARCELONA: update terror attack Aug 2017

I will be in Barcelona on a land trip in mid September. Wouldn't think of not going.

It's terrible that these things happen, but one really cannot ever know where these despicable groups will strike next. I'm guessing security and police presence in Barcelona will be quite strong for the next while.

I would not cancel my trip for any reason :mad:

**UPDATE as of 9:00pm GMT+1 - Aug 21st 2017**

- The Police operation has concluded earlier today, in its more visual part anyway, with the hunt for the driver of the killer van in Les Rambles, Younes Abouyaaqoub, that has been cornered and killed in Subirats, a village 25km from Barcelona, in the Penedès region, after a call from the public to the Terror Alert phone line. More details: http://www.elnacional.cat/en/news/reports-mossos-subirats-driver-attacks_184383_102.html Four days later, the 12-strong terrorist cell has now been dismantled with 8 of them being dead and 4 detained. Now the operation will continue for several weeks, if not months, trying to identify international connections, modus operandi, etc. in conjunction with the Police forces and intelligence services of allied countries. The Imam of one of the mosques of Ripoll, a town north of Catalonia, near the French border seems to have been the intellectual instigator of the attack. He has been confirmed dead in the explosion in Alcanar, last Aug. 16th. There seem to be potential connections with known extremists in Belgium, where he flew on several occasions. Also, the car used in the attempt of running down people in Cambrils the night of the 18th was also spotted earlier in the month in Paris. The plot of the story is quite more complex, those interested can follow it up in the paper linked before, the English version of a local paper which is one of the more knowledgeable sources.

- The provisional death toll is 15, as it was later discovered that in his escape the terrorist knifed a local driver (34) to steal his car. There are around 50 people still being treated in hospitals, but the critically injured have now decreased to 7. The IDs of the deceased have now all been confirmed and their names released: http://www.elnacional.cat/en/news/fifteen-lives-cut-short-attacks_184002_102.html Aside from locals, there have also been injured people from 34 different nationalities: German, Algerian, Argentinian, Australian, Austrian, Belgian, Moroccan, Canadian, Chinese, Colombian, Romanian, Venezuelan, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Egyptian, Spanish, US, Filipino, French, British, Greek, Dutch, Taiwanese, Honduran, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Kuwaiti, Macedonian, Mauritian, Pakistani, Peruvian, Dominican and Turkish.

- Several demonstrations, from Barcelonians and tourists in Les Rambles and from the Muslim Community in Catalonia wrapped by the rest of the population among other, have been celebrated yesterday and today. There's a major demonstration scheduled for next Saturday 26th at 6pm in the center of Barcelona to rally against terrorism and in remembrance of the dead and injured. This slogan has rapidly spread among Catalans and visitors: #NoTincPor (=I am not afraid):

- If you're visiting you'll find that life has returned to "normal" and the city is fully operational.

**I think this should be the last update of the series as the current threat is over**. I hope have been able to quell the thirst for information as the events were unfolding.

Thank you everybody for your support, and I invite you to stroll by Les Rambles next time you visit my city, Barcelona, to pay your respects -if you want- for the ones murdered in this terrorist attack on 17th August 2017 at 17:05h... 17-17-17! The whole boulevard is full of candles, flowers, and notes in remembrance of those killed: http://www.rac1.cat/r/GODO/R1/p0/WebSite/Imagenes/2017/08/21/20170818-636386920311606550_20170818223103-kzNF--5184x3456@RAC1-Web.jpg

With love,

Enric

**UPDATE as of 9:00pm GMT+1 - Aug 21st 2017**

 

- The Police operation has concluded earlier today, in its more visual part anyway, with the hunt for the driver of the killer van in Les Rambles, Younes Abouyaaqoub, that has been cornered and killed in Subirats, a village 25km from Barcelona, in the Penedès region, after a call from the public to the Terror Alert phone line. More details: http://www.elnacional.cat/en/news/reports-mossos-subirats-driver-attacks_184383_102.html Four days later, the 12-strong terrorist cell has now been dismantled with 8 of them being dead and 4 detained. Now the operation will continue for several weeks, if not months, trying to identify international connections, modus operandi, etc. in conjunction with the Police forces and intelligence services of allied countries. The Imam of one of the mosques of Ripoll, a town north of Catalonia, near the French border seems to have been the intellectual instigator of the attack. He has been confirmed dead in the explosion in Alcanar, last Aug. 16th. There seem to be potential connections with known extremists in Belgium, where he flew on several occasions. Also, the car used in the attempt of running down people in Cambrils the night of the 18th was also spotted earlier in the month in Paris. The plot of the story is quite more complex, those interested can follow it up in the paper linked before, the English version of a local paper which is one of the more knowledgeable sources.

 

- The provisional death toll is 15, as it was later discovered that in his escape the terrorist knifed a local driver (34) to steal his car. There are around 50 people still being treated in hospitals, but the critically injured have now decreased to 7. The IDs of the deceased have now all been confirmed and their names released: http://www.elnacional.cat/en/news/fifteen-lives-cut-short-attacks_184002_102.html Aside from locals, there have also been injured people from 34 different nationalities: German, Algerian, Argentinian, Australian, Austrian, Belgian, Moroccan, Canadian, Chinese, Colombian, Romanian, Venezuelan, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Egyptian, Spanish, US, Filipino, French, British, Greek, Dutch, Taiwanese, Honduran, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Kuwaiti, Macedonian, Mauritian, Pakistani, Peruvian, Dominican and Turkish.

 

- Several demonstrations, from Barcelonians and tourists in Les Rambles and from the Muslim Community in Catalonia wrapped by the rest of the population among other, have been celebrated yesterday and today. There's a major demonstration scheduled for next Saturday 26th at 6pm in the center of Barcelona to rally against terrorism and in remembrance of the dead and injured. This slogan has rapidly spread among Catalans and visitors: #NoTincPor (=I am not afraid):

 

- If you're visiting you'll find that life has returned to "normal" and the city is fully operational.

 

**I think this should be the last update of the series as the current threat is over**. I hope have been able to quell the thirst for information as the events were unfolding.

 

Thank you everybody for your support, and I invite you to stroll by Les Rambles next time you visit my city, Barcelona, to pay your respects -if you want- for the ones murdered in this terrorist attack on 17th August 2017 at 17:05h... 17-17-17! The whole boulevard is full of candles, flowers, and notes in remembrance of those killed: http://www.rac1.cat/r/GODO/R1/p0/WebSite/Imagenes/2017/08/21/20170818-636386920311606550_20170818223103-kzNF--5184x3456@RAC1-Web.jpg

 

With love,

Enric

Thank you again, Enric! Can't wait to visit your city soon :) We sure have appreciated the up to date info. It's hard to know how accurate the news reports we hear in our part of the world really are. Cheers!

Thank you very much. We arrive on Thursday and had plans for dinner on Sat night in the centre but with the demonstration I think we might make alternative plans. Looking forward to enjoying beautiful Barcelona.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Forums mobile app

EricM

Thank you with much gratitude for your reports! We appreciate your efforts and respect your knowledge. We too love your city and have been planning our upcoming trip (last port on our Westerdam cruise) and will spend 4 days! Barcelona is one of my most favorite cities - we would not stay away and actually stay on Las Ramblas.... and yes we will honor those that lost their lives or were injured in this tragedy!... thank you again.