Spain: Fourth suspect arrested August 18 following terrorist attacks /update 6

Event

Spanish police have announced the arrest of a fourth individual in Ripoll, a town located north of Barcelona near the French border, on Friday, August 18, for his alleged involvement in the deadly terrorist attacks carried out in Barcelona and Cambrils on Thursday, August 17. The three other suspects had previously been arrested in the Catalonian towns of Alcanar and Ripoll. A manhunt is ongoing for other suspects, including the driver of the van in the Barcelona attack.  At this time, security officials believe that that a cell of eight to twelve people may have been involved in planning the attacks.

Police also reportedly linked the attacks on August 17 to an explosion that occurred at a house in Alcanar, located about 200 km (125 miles) south of Barcelona, on Wednesday, August 16; the explosion killed one person and injured seven others. Police officials reported that the suspects appear to have been assembling bomb materials over a substantial period of time for use in an attack in Barcelona, but the accidental explosion forced them to resort to other tactics.

Heightened police surveillance and security measures are to be expected in Spain, especially in the Catalonia region. According to local journalists, Las Ramblas had reopened as of 09:00 (local time) on Friday, although businesses along the thoroughfare remained closed. The Plaza Catalunya has reopened after a minute of silence was held in mourning at 12:00 on Friday. Three days of national mourning have also been announced. As of August 18, most public transportation in Barcelona has resumed as usual. However, bus and metro stations near Las Ramblas are still closed; trains will not stop at metro stations Liceu and Drassanes on Line 3, as well as stations Catalunya and Universitat on Line 1.

Context

On August 17, at around 17:00 (local time), a van intentionally drove into crowds on the Las Ramblas pedestrian street, an iconic tourist spot in Barcelona. According to the latest estimates, 13 people were killed and over 100 injured, including many foreign nationals. The driver has yet to be apprehended. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack. Eight hours later, a car rammed into pedestrians in the coastal resort town of Cambrils, located some 110 km (70 miles) southwest of Barcelona, killing one civilian and injuring five others and a police officer. Five assailants, wearing fake suicide belts, were shot dead by police. Furthermore, two police officers were injured when a vehicle crashed through a police checkpoint on the outskirts of Barcelona shortly after the Las Ramblas attack. The driver was shot by police, although it is still unclear if he is connected to the previous attacks.

Thursday's incidents come as Europe remains on high alert against the threat of terrorism following a series of high profile attacks across the continent in recent years.

Advice

Individuals in Barcelona and Cambrils are advised to avoid the areas of Thursday's attacks while authorities continue their response and investigations; transportation disruptions in the immediate vicinity of both sites are to be expected. All those present in Spain are advised to monitor developments to the situation and to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities.