GUILTY Spain - Van plows into city center in Barcelona, injuries reported in "massive crash", Aug 2017

[dotr]

Thanks ZaZara for that video.

Anyone else notice that the only member of the public that responded to "What's happened" was the jihadist ?? !!

Other members of the public couldn't have been aware exactly what had occurred at that time, looks like they were leaving the market in confusion by the rear entrance.

Usually in these situations, people will quickly say something like leave, terrible accident, get out of the way, terror attack ect when asked " what is happening"?.
Cannot help but wonder if there was something about the woman's appearance or demeanor that people wished to avoid altogether, something that appealed perhaps to the terrorist?
speculation, imo.

 

[jessie]

Usually in these situations, people will quickly say something like leave, terrible accident, get out of the way, terror attack ect when asked " what is happening"?.
Cannot help but wonder if there was something about the woman's appearance or demeanor that people wished to avoid altogether, something that appealed perhaps to the terrorist?
speculation, imo.

Very interesting and astute observation dotr.

 

[ZaZara]

Usually in these situations, people will quickly say something like leave, terrible accident, get out of the way, terror attack ect when asked " what is happening"?.
Cannot help but wonder if there was something about the woman's appearance or demeanor that people wished to avoid altogether, something that appealed perhaps to the terrorist?
speculation, imo.

Very interesting and astute observation dotr.

I have to admit that she drove me mad in those 45 seconds before the jihadist appeared with her endless what's happening? That voice!
IMHO the people leaving the building are clearly in shock, some are crying, someone is carrying a child, they are running, they want to get far away from the area .... I can see that in the video, why doesn't she IRL? No one is interested in her, in the first 10 seconds someone even seems to wave her off. And still she does not get the message that this-is-not-about-her.

But I guess we should be thankful for the video that she made. The jihadist is walking there unperturbed, as if murdering people is all in a days work. Which I suppose it was for him and his brothers in the faith. He was on his way to his next murder, that of the man whose car he stole.

 

[gregjrichards]

The mother of Julian Cadman, the seven-year-old boy killed in the Barcelona terror attack, has revealed her ongoing grief for the little boy who never got to grow up.
Jumarie Cadman, who was badly injured in the August attack, told The Daily Telegraph she still struggles to understand why she lived and her son did not.
'I just want Julian back, I don't know why I survived and he didn't,' she said.

Continued

She recalls the moment she lost her son vividly, telling The Daily Telegraph she had just bought her son a toy after what she described as a 'lovely' day.

Moments later, as they left the store, his hand was pulled from hers and he was swept away in the attack.

'I don't sleep, I miss him every hour,' she said.

'I loved being a mum, but it's all gone.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...er-speaks-Barcelona-terror.html#ixzz4yQ63jjYH

It is absolutely heartbreaking.

 

[ZaZara]

STUDY REVEALS THAT JIHADISTS PLANNED A FAR LARGER AND MORE CATASTROPHIC ATTACK, POSSIBLY ON THE EIFFEL TOWER

NYT
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/24/world/europe/isis-barcelona-attack.html


In the weeks before they carried out an attack in the Spanish city of Barcelona last summer, a cell of jihadists inspired by the Islamic State traveled repeatedly to France, where they bought a camera and recorded footage of the Eiffel Tower.

That video, as well as the stunning quantity of precursor chemicals used to make explosives which were recovered from the safe house they used, has led experts to conclude that the terrorists were plotting something much larger and more catastrophic. The materials they left behind suggest that their plan involved packing vans with explosives and attacking targets not just in Spain, where the group killed 16 people and injured 140 others in August, but also possibly in France.

“The existing evidence indicates the terrorist cell had planned a far more ambitious and potentially more deadly operation,” Fernando Reinares and Carola García-Calvo of the Program on Global Terrorism at the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid wrote in a study published on Wednesday.

“Considering the lethal resources assembled by the terrorists and their lethal intent, the death toll could have reached hundreds had they not accidentally blown up their bomb factory,” said the report, which appeared in the CTC Sentinel, the publication of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. It is based on interviews with investigators, a review of court proceedings and an analysis of videos, images and other materials recovered at investigation scenes.


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

"SPANIARDS, YOU ARE GOING TO SUFFER;" THE INSIDE STORY OF THE AUGUST 2017 ATTACKS IN BARCELONA AND CAMBRILS


Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
https://ctc.usma.edu/spaniards-going-suffer-inside-story-august-2017-attacks-barcelona-cambrils/

The terrorists were waiting on all 200 to 250 kilograms of TATP to be prepared. The two vans were rented for seven days, starting August 16.

Investigators believe the cell’s original targets were in Barcelona but possibly elsewhere, too. Considering the lethal resources assembled by the terrorists and their lethal intent, the death toll could have reached hundreds had they not accidently blow up their bomb factory in Alcanar. There were media reports that a suspect had revealed in court that the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona was among the targets. In reality, the judicial declaration in question from the cell member surviving the Alcanar blast was vague on this point, referring to “monuments and churches, such as the Sagrada Familia” as targets. The individual in question was not suspected to be a senior member of the cell and did not apparently have knowledge of specific targets. Nevertheless, the Sagrada Familia was one of the locations—marked by means of Google maps searches—that was found in a cellular phone used by members of the cell, in addition to the Nou Camp, the soccer stadium of Barcelona Football Club.

To get a sense of the potential devastation such a large amount of high explosives could have caused, it is worth noting that the two TATP suitcase bombs that were detonated by Islamic State suicide bombers at Brussels airport likely weighed under 20 kilograms each. Two vans each loaded with over 100 kilograms of high explosives had the potential to inflict significant structural damage in buildings and/or cause very high casualties in crowded outdoor urban areas.


BBM


Complete report at link

Due to the unprecedented levels of jihadi mobilization experienced over the past six years in Spain and Western Europe as a whole, more terrorist incidents including of the kind both initially envisioned and carried out by the Ripoll cell are likely to be repeated in the country and across the European Union. What stood out about the Ripoll cell, however—in addition to being formed by apparently well-integrated, second-generation young Muslims and being led by an imam who had been part of the jihadi scene for more than a decade—was its size. It shows that even in the wake of the Paris and Brussels attacks, which were carried out by attack groups of comparable size, a large terrorist cell can still plan ambitious attacks without being detected. It also illustrates that jihadis in Europe continue to want to plot bomb attacks, including with difficult-to-make TATP, but have a range of lower-tech ways to otherwise create carnage. A terrorist cell of 10 can, after all, carry out 10 vehicle-ramming attacks.

 

[ZaZara]

Fotos: Los terroristas de Barcelona, mientras preparaban los atentados

The Barcelona terrorists, while preparing the attacks.

Twenty images from the videos in the case file show those responsible for the attack in August last year assembling the explosives at the house in Alcanar (Tarragona)

Younes Abouyaaqoub (left, in a striped T-shirt) and Youssef Aalla pose for the camera while they handle the cylinders loaded with explosives. Younes Abouyaaqoub was the terrorist who, on 17 August last year, stormed La Rambla with a van and ran over more than 100 people. He was shot dead in Subirats on 21 August. Youssef Aalla was in the house of Alcanar (Tarragona) at the time of the explosion and his body was found in the house.

From left to right, Mohamed Houli Chemlal, Youssef Aalla and Younes Abouyaaqoub. The three of them pose as they raise their index fingers, a statement of faith in the Islamic religion. Mohamed Houli Chemlal and Youssef Aalla were in the house of Alcanar (Tarragona) at the time of the explosion. The former survived. The second one, he died. Younes Abouyaaqoub is the terrorist who ran over more than a hundred people in La Rambla on 17 August.

Omar Hichamy, one of the terrorists who was shot down in Cambrils, poses next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris during a trip made by several members of the cell in the run up to the Barcelona massacre.

BBM



The raised index finger is the sign of ISIS.

Nathaniel Zelinsky writes in Foreign Affairs that the gesture refers to the tawhid, "the belief in the oneness of God and a key component of the Muslim religion." More specifically, though, it refers to their fundamentalist interpretation of the tawhid, which rejects any other view, including other Islamic interpretations, as idolatry. Zelinsky writes that when ISIS uses the gesture, it is affirming an ideology that demands the destruction of the West, as well as any form of pluralism. For potential recruits around the globe, it also shows their belief that they will dominate the world.

More pictures of happy, smiling young men and a house full of explosives at the link. Most of the building was destroyed during the explosion, but these pictures, taken from videos, give a good indication of what it looked like.

Did you visit the Eiffel Tower in August 2017 and do you recognize the man in the red shirt? Perhaps you took a picture of him and his friends? Our reporters would love to hear from you!

 

[ZaZara]

“Este es el veneno que vamos a poner para los enemigos de Alá”


"This is the poison we're going to use for Allah's enemies."

Full transcript of the four videos recorded by the jihadists of the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks

The report of the Mossos d'Esquadra included in the summary of the attacks in Catalonia on 17 August 2017 reproduces the content of the videos with threats that several of the members of the Jihadist cell of Ripoll recorded between 13 and 14 August last year with a camera. What remained of the camera was found under the rubble of the chalet of Alcanar (Tarragona). This is the transcript of the four videos recovered by the Mossos d'Esquadra in which terrorists prepare the explosive while making jihadist proclamations.

FIRST VIDEO. Mohamed Hichamy is seen in the front passenger seat of a moving car as he makes a Salafist sign with his finger and talks to an occupant in the back of the unidentified vehicle and to Youssef Allal, another of the deceased terrorists.

Backseat occupant: Tell us something, Mohamed.

Hichamy: I swear by Allah Christians that you are going to see something that you will love, hahaha, and know that Allah, be praised, has prepared the Mujahideen of Ripoll, God willing, to Paris, hahaha!

Backseat occupant: God willing.

Hichamy: We will destroy you, God willing.

Backseat occupant: Come say a couple of words!

Youssef: O enemies of Allah! O enemies of Allah! We will come for you with men... with men...!

Rear-seat occupant: ha ha ha, he's quiet... ha ha, whatever...


SECOND VIDEO. In this one, Youssef Aalla, Youness Abouyaaqoub and Mohamed Hichamy appear, manipulating the explosives they intended to use to commit the attacks. During the same time, the three and a fourth member of the cell who does not appear in the images, Mohamed Houli, speak indistinctly in Arabic, Spanish and Catalan.

Houli: Here are the brothers, here is Younes.

Younes: Ha ha ha.

Houli: Here he is.

Hichamy: Wait for what you will love!

Houli: Here's my brother Youssef.

Youssef: This is the poison that we are going to prepare for the enemies of Allah to taste....

Hichamy: God willing. Wait, then! We're waiting with you too.

Houli: This is a video, brother Mohamed, I think... so that you can see that we are working.

Hichamy: Why?

Youssef: No. I'm not talking about you, Mohamed. I'm talking about the video.

Hichamy: Ah.

Youssef: I was talking about the video.

Houli: The video is to be able to cut it out so they can see how you work with it.

Youssef: That's right.

Houli: Is it recording?

Youssef: Let them look, let them look at how we have made our own...

Youness: Let's talk in Spanish. To suffer.

Houli: Mohamed, make them a little speech! How you wanted to fool us.

Youssef: Deluded beings. Enemies of Allah! This is so that you know that the Muslim, the Muslim has the honor and strength with the support of Allah Praised be He! As for humiliation and pettiness, that is for you, Allah's enemies.

Hichamy: You wanted to buy us with our works and your... Life doesn't matter to us at all. Allah, be praised, has chosen us from among millions of men to make you weep blood, with Allah's permission, be praised.

Youssef: Praised be Allah, he has promised us paradise and promised you hell. Enemies of Allah, wait.

Youness: Ha ha ha.

Houli: Thank Allah. Thank Allah. Thank Allah.

Youssef: Thank Allah.

Hichamy: We're working on it. Thank Allah. Thank Allah. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here.

Youssef: ha ha ha.

Hichamy: All that we have prepared for you.... with the permission of Allah, you will regret having been born, especially you Mossos d'Esquadra.

Youssef: Born bad, ha ha ha.

Youness: Bastards.

Hichamy: You're getting into a big can of worms, ha ha ha, you don't know what you've gotten yourself into. There's still, still there, still there's still a good video to be made about their parents.

Houli: Those enemies of Allah.... (hums).

Youssef: If that's what it is, about the video, Mohamed, brother ... I think it's better when someone is ready and then make the video.

Houli: At least when I get the camera I want the video to look good. That it's okay, Youssef, that you practice a little too.

(They talk at the same time)

Houli: ... or you keep telling them "hombreees", "hombreees", "hombreees", "ha-ha-ha.

Youssef: ha ha ha.

Hichamy: What's wrong with those men? What's wrong with them?

Youssef: Ha ha.

Houli: Ha ha (hums).

Youness: Now we are, with God's help, going to make our religion, our belief, win and destroy our enemies with the permission of Allah, the Almighty.

Hichamy: With Allah's permission, praise be to him.

(All speaking at once): Allah is the greatest.

Hichamy: Pick up that thing.

Houli: In the name of Allah, in the name of Allah, how good, how good. God willing, this will open the gates of the Gardens of Eden for us.

(Background heard: He put the seal on. He put the seal on...)


THIRD VIDEO. The same protagonists of the previous images appear moments later.

Hichamy: The camera is focused on you if you want to say something....

Youness: Okay. In the name of Allah, thanks to Allah, prayers and blessings for Allah's messenger! That doesn't cost you anything. All you need is faith. Believing in Allah and having.... having a hatred of these kuffar (infidels), exaggerated hatred, without this you can not get this, and this budget has not exceeded 15 euros, between 15 and 20.

Houlí: It does a lot of damage ha, ha.

Youness: What?

Houlí: And it does a lot of damage ha ha ha.

Youness: Ha ha ha, and it does a lot of damage. That's it. That's it. Thank Allah, owner of the universe.

Hichamy: Come here to explain.

Houli: Okay.

Hichamy: This is an improvised hand grenade but it does its job.... The budget of each one, I don't know how much it is because I brought everything we have from my work, from Conforsa [the factory where I worked], and I worked there in front of all your allies, who saw me doing it. In other words, Allah may he be praised, with your own money, he prepares us to kill you. In other words, the problem is with you and not with us. With divine support, every gram of this iron will be put into your heads or into your children's or your wives' heads. With divine support.

Youssef: God willing, praise God.

Hichamy: "Allah keeps His promise" as Abu Mohamed Al Bagdadi[leader of the Islamic State], eehh, Al Adnani, may God accept it! Prayer and peace through the prophet!


FOURTH VIDEO. This video, shot three days before the attacks, shows Younes Abouyaaqoub looking happy as he tries on the explosive vest they made. The voices of Hichamy, Houli and Youseff are also heard.

Hichamy: (Unintelligible)

Youness: What?

Hichamy: You've fastened your seat belt... and you're being recorded.

Youness: Yes.

Hychami: None of these is well loaded.

Houli: What does this do? Ha ha.

Youness: What?

Houli: What does this do? Ha ha.

Youness: This? It goes booomm ha ha

Houli: Ha ha.

Youssef: The poof....you're the poof, and behind the poof, scattered nails.

Houli: We're going to record it up close.

Hichamy: Some shrapnel would be missing.

Youness: There are cars....... It's all right now, isn't it?

Houli: Looks good on you, eeeeh.

Hichamy: Hey, don't let someone from outside see you....



BBM

 

[gregjrichards]

Tourists have been put on high alert after police in Barcelona were warned of a possible Christmas Day terror attack 'by a Moroccan man with a bus driver's licence'.

Officers have been told a 30-year-old Casablanca-born terrorist with the initials B.L. may try to commit a spectacular massacre in the Catalan capital using a coach or similar type of vehicle.

The revelation surfaced after the US state department warned tourists to exercise extreme caution along the city's famous Las Ramblas - the site of a deadly jihadist vehicle attack in August 2017.

A tweet said: 'Spain. Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement including buses in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Year

US warns tourists of a possible Christmas Day terror attack in the centre of Barcelona | Daily Mail Online

I hope and pray there is no such attack.

 

[margarita25]

Embassy Messages
Alerts
Security Alert – U.S. Consulate General Barcelona, SpainSun, 23 Dec 2018

“Consulate General of the United States of America

Barcelona, Spain

Security Alert – U.S. Consulate General Barcelona, Spain – December 23, 2018

Location: Barcelona, Spain.

Event: U.S. citizens should exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement, including buses, in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona (Plaza Catalunya to Plaza del Portal de la Pau) during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

We remind U.S. citizens that Spain is currently at a Level 2 Travel Advisory: exercise increased caution due to terrorism. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, and other public areas. U.S. citizens are reminded to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security.

Actions to Take:

Avoid the area.
Exercise additional vigilance at holiday festivals and events.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Stay alert in public places, including at churches, tourist locations, schools, hospitals, and on public and private transportation.
Follow instructions and view updates from police and government authorities (see below).
Review your personal security plans.
Monitor local media for updates.
Know how to use the local phone system. Dial “112” to reach emergency services throughout Spain. There is always an English-speaker on duty.”

Spain International Travel Information

—-

“Security Alert – U.S. Mission Spain (December 3, 2018)

Location: Spain, countrywide

Event: During the holiday season security measures in Spain remain heightened because of ongoing threats posed by transnational terrorist organizations and individuals inspired by extremist ideology throughout Europe. Extremists continue to focus on tourist locations, shopping malls, airports, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, transportation hubs, and other soft targets frequented by Westerners.

Actions to Take:

Exercise additional vigilance at holiday festivals and events, places of worship, and locations with large crowds.
Review your personal security plans.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Monitor local media for updates.
Assistance:

U.S. Embassy Madrid, Spain
+34-915-872-200

AskACS@state.gov

U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Spain and Andorra

U.S. Consulate General Barcelona, Spain
+34-932-802-227

BarcelonaACS@state.gov

U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Spain and Andorra

State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444

Spain Country Information

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.“

 

[margarita25]

Tourists have been put on high alert after police in Barcelona were warned of a possible Christmas Day terror attack 'by a Moroccan man with a bus driver's licence'.

Officers have been told a 30-year-old Casablanca-born terrorist with the initials B.L. may try to commit a spectacular massacre in the Catalan capital using a coach or similar type of vehicle.

The revelation surfaced after the US state department warned tourists to exercise extreme caution along the city's famous Las Ramblas - the site of a deadly jihadist vehicle attack in August 2017.

A tweet said: 'Spain. Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement including buses in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Year

US warns tourists of a possible Christmas Day terror attack in the centre of Barcelona | Daily Mail Online

I hope and pray there is no such attack.

“Respected Catalan daily El Periodico said it had been told by police sources an internal alert had warned officers a man born in the Moroccan city of Casablanca could try to mow down pedestrians using a coach or similar vehicle.

It said the alert had mentioned Christmas Day as the date for the possible attack and said the regional Mossos d'Esquadra had given it 'medium' credibility.“

—-


Some background information/resources etc along with current travel advisories (adding international since we are a worldly bunch ):


US:
Spain Travel Advisory

“2018 Spain - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution in Spain due to terrorism.

Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Spain. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page.

If you decide to travel to Spain:

Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues.
Follow the instructions of local authorities.
Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
Review the Crime and Safety Report for Spain.
U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.“

—-

“Since 2015 the Spanish Government’s national anti-terror alert level is at four (high) on a scale of 1 to 5; this has not changed following the attacks of August 2017 (see below).”

Spain - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

—-

GOV.UK
Terrorism - Spain travel advice

“Terrorism

Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Spain. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. The Spanish authorities take measures to protect visitors, but you should be vigilant and follow the instructions of the local authorities.

On 17/18 August 2017, there were 2 terrorist-related incidents where vehicles were driven directly at pedestrians, resulting in injuries and loss of life. These were in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona and Cambrils, near Salou (100km southwest of Barcelona). These incidents are now concluded, and the suspects detained.

The Basque terrorist organisation ETA’s last major attack was in 2006 and it hasn’t mounted any attacks since 2009. In May 2018 it announced it was “disbanding”. British nationals have not been a target of ETA terrorism.

Spanish police have disrupted a number of groups suspected of recruiting individuals to travel to Syria and Iraq from 2015 to the present date. Some of them expressed an intention to carry out attacks in Europe.

There’s a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.”

—-

NZ
Spain | SafeTravel

Reviewed: 6 November 2018, 16:15 NZDT
Still current at: 25 December 2018

“Exercise increased caution
Exercise increased caution in Spain due to the ongoing threat of terrorism.

Terrorism
Terrorist groups, including those based in Syria and Iraq, continue to pose a threat to Spain and wider Europe. There is also a threat from domestic-based extremists, including plots that may involve foreign fighters returning to Spain and Europe from the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Spain has been a target for mass casualty terrorist attacks in the past, and remains a subject of terrorist activity.

On 17 - 18 August 2017, two terrorist related incidents occurred in Las Ramblas, Barcelona, and Cambrils, approximately 120kms south west of Barcelona. These events resulted in a number of fatalities and injuries.

The Spanish government maintains a national terrorism alert level in response to terrorist attacks in Europe and elsewhere, as well as information held by its security agencies. Since 2015 the Spanish authorities have assessed the threat level as “high”, the second highest level (Level 4 out of 5). This remains unchanged after the Barcelona attack in August 2017. The current alert level is available on the Spanish Interior Ministry's website (in Spanish).”

Spanish Interior Ministry
qué es el plan de prevención y protección antiterrorista?
Home

 

[margarita25]

WS Link:
Spain: Van plows into city center in Barcelona, injuries reported in "massive crash"

(I still remember those videos )

—-

Tourists have been put on high alert after police in Barcelona were warned of a possible Christmas Day terror attack 'by a Moroccan man with a bus driver's licence'.

Officers have been told a 30-year-old Casablanca-born terrorist with the initials B.L. may try to commit a spectacular massacre in the Catalan capital using a coach or similar type of vehicle.

The revelation surfaced after the US state department warned tourists to exercise extreme caution along the city's famous Las Ramblas - the site of a deadly jihadist vehicle attack in August 2017.

A tweet said: 'Spain. Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement including buses in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Year

US warns tourists of a possible Christmas Day terror attack in the centre of Barcelona | Daily Mail Online

I hope and pray there is no such attack.

It seems you issued a similar warning last year, Greg (Merry Christmas by the way, friend):

Spanish Terror Attack Alert in Barcelona, 21 December 2017

 

[margarita25]

WS Thread:Terror alert regarding possible Christmas Day 2018 terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain

Tourists have been put on high alert after police in Barcelona were warned of a possible Christmas Day terror attack 'by a Moroccan man with a bus driver's licence'.

Officers have been told a 30-year-old Casablanca-born terrorist with the initials B.L. may try to commit a spectacular massacre in the Catalan capital using a coach or similar type of vehicle.

The revelation surfaced after the US state department warned tourists to exercise extreme caution along the city's famous Las Ramblas - the site of a deadly jihadist vehicle attack in August 2017.

A tweet said: 'Spain. Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement including buses in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Year

US warns tourists of a possible Christmas Day terror attack in the centre of Barcelona | Daily Mail Online

I hope and pray there is no such attack.

—-

Twitter / Account Suspended
Video here of the aftermath. I am not posting it *WARNING* as it is very graphic.

“@LauraLoomer
Account suspended
Twitter suspends accounts which violate the Twitter Rules”

 

[margarita25]

Barcelona on alert after US warns of possible Christmas attack

“Asked about the warning during an interview with Rac1 radio on Monday, Catalonia's regional interior minister Miquel Buch said police "were working on this threat".

"We take seriously all threats, all of them are investigated," he added, without giving further details.“

—-

Catalan police on a manhunt after US issues Barcelona security alert

“The US State Department issued a security alert to its citizens on Sunday, telling them to exercise “heightened caution” if they are in Barcelona because of the potential for a terrorist attack in the popular area of La Rambla during Christmas and New Year’s.“

—-

High security in Barcelona following US terror warning

“The security alert, posted online and sent to U.S. citizens in Spain's second-largest city, recommends exercising "heightened caution" around buses and public transport in the Las Ramblas area. Barcelona's downtown boulevard, beloved by tourists and residents, was targeted last year during an attack claimed by Islamic State militants that killed 14 people.“

—-

Interesting article from 2017:
Spain was under threat long before attacks, experts say - CNN

“The Catalonia region, and Barcelona in particular, is the country's jihadist hub and has been for some time, experts say, and authorities have made dozens of terror-related arrests and foiled attack plots in recent years.“

 

[margarita25]

Noting to check current alert status.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Three men go on trial at Spain's top criminal court Tuesday for helping the perpetrators of twin jihadist attacks in 2017 that killed 16 in Barcelona and a nearby seaside town.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the bloodshed which left another 140 people wounded on August 17 and 18 in Barcelona and Cambrils, a resort 100 kilometres (60 miles) to the south.

When the trial opens at the National Court in Madrid, the trio will enter the dock facing charges of helping the attackers, one of whom rammed a van into pedestrians on Barcelona's Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 14 people.

Trio on trial for helping Barcelona jihadist attack cell - France 24

 

[camrose]

These 3 were finally sentenced in May.

Three men who assisted the perpetrators of jihadist terrorist attacks in and around Barcelona that killed 16 people in 2017 have been jailed in Spain.

Two of the group were handed sentences of 53 and 46 years, while a third man was given an eight-year jail term.

Mohamed Houli Chemlal, 24, and Driss Oukabir, 32, were sentenced to 53 and 46 years respectively for offences that included belonging to a terrorist group and manufacturing and possessing explosives.

However, the judges said the pair would not serve more than 20 years behind bars.

Three sentenced over Barcelona and Cambrils jihadist attacks - BBC News

Three men jailed over 2017 Catalonia terror attacks | Spain | The Guardian