British Arab Network Chairman condemns terrorist attacks in Barcelona & Cambrils
19 Aug 2017, by - In the Media
Dr. Wafik Moustafa, Chairman of the British Arab Network, has condemned the terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.
Dr. Moustafa said:
“I condemn these evil terrorist attacks. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. The perpetrators and those behind them must be hunted down and brought to justice.The perverted and twisted ideology with which these men were indoctrinated has to challenged and eradicated. We will not be cowed by those who want to destroy our way of life.”
Barcelona and Cambrils attacks: What we know so far
BBC News 19 August 2017 www.bbc.co.uk/news
There have been two attacks in Spain’s Catalonia region involving people driving cars at crowds at high speeds.
Here is what we know so far.
What happened?
On Thursday afternoon at 16:50 local time (14:50 GMT) a white van smashed into people on Las Ramblas, a famous boulevard in central Barcelona that runs 1.2km (0.75 miles) and was packed with tourists.
The van driver is said to have zig-zagged to try and hit as many people as possible along the pedestrianised area, knocking many to the floor and sending others fleeing for cover in shops and cafes.
He killed 13 people and injured more than 100, and managed to flee the scene.
Spanish police have described it as a terror attack.
What was the second attack?
About eight hours later, an Audi A3 car ploughed into pedestrians in the popular seaside resort town of Cambrils, 110km (68 miles) south-west of Barcelona, authorities said.
A woman who was critically injured later died in hospital. Five other civilians and a police officer were hurt.
The attackers’ vehicle overturned and five people who got out, some of whom were wearing fake suicide belts, were then shot by police. Four died at the scene and one later died of his injuries.
The Las Ramblas and Cambrils attacks are believed to be linked.
Who are the main suspects?
The key suspect had been Moussa Oukabir, 17, who was said to have used documents belonging to his brother, Driss Oukabir, 28, to rent the van that mowed down people on Las Ramblas and a second vehicle, later found in the town of Vic and believed to be a getaway car.
But late on Friday, police changed their focus, saying they were no longer certain that Moussa Oukabir had been the driver.
Instead, they pointed to Moroccan-born Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, who lived in the town of Ripoll, 100km (60 miles) north of Barcelona. El Pais newspaper said there was a growing belief that Abouyaacoub was the main suspect.
The change in police attention came after it became clear that Moussa Oukabir was one of the five shot dead in the Cambrils attack. Two others named by police were Said Aallaa, 18, and Mohamed Hychami, 24.
