Following the terror attack in Barcelona,Police have identified two bodies found in a house destroyed by a huge blast linked to the Spanish terror attacks.
Investigators believe the Islamist extremist cell which carried out the vehicle rampages in Barcelona and the coastal resort of Cambrils may have accidentally blown up the property while preparing explosives a day earlier.
One of those killed in Wednesday's blast at the bomb factory in Alcanar could have been former imam, Abdelbaki es Satty, who is said to have been a spiritual ringleader of the group.
It is also possible that a total of three people may have died in the explosion.
Police said they have discovered 120 gas canisters at the property for attacks in Barcelona.
Ingredients of the explosive TATP, which was used by Islamic State in atrocities in Paris and Brussels, were also found.
Officials believe the cell wanted to fill three rental vans with explosives to create a massive atrocity.
But the plans changed after the house where their plot was being hatched blew up.
The possible bomb-maker Mohamed Houli Chemlal was wounded in the explosion and is being detained.
Authorities also said the driver of the van that knocked down pedestrians on Barcelona's Las Ramblas promenade on Thursday, killing 13 people and injuring more than 120, was the only terrorist in the vehicle.
But there is confusion over who was at the wheel at the time of the rampage.
The driver could have been Younes Abouyaaquoub, who is still thought to be on the run and may have crossed the French border.
Authorities have linked three vans to the 22-year-old of Moroccan origin, whose credit card was used to rent them.
It was first claimed that Moussa Oukabir was driving. But then it was revealed the teenager had been killed along with four other terrorists by officers following a standoff in Cambrils.
A woman died and several other civilians were hurt in the car rampage, along with an officer.
However, police have now told reporters they cannot say for sure who drove the van into crowds at Las Ramblas.
Another van was found in Vic, 44 miles north of Barcelona on the road to Ripoll, where all the main attack suspects lived.
A third was found in Ripoll itself.
Along with Mohamed Houli Chemlal, four other suspects have been arrested.
Abouyaaquoub is on the run and two others are still missing - Abdelbaki es Satty and Youssef Aalla.
Meanwhile, Spain's King and Queen have attended a solemn mass at Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica for the victims of the terror attacks.
No comments:
Post a Comment