Barcelona attack driver fled scene and hijacked car, say police
Source: Irish Times
The man who rammed a car into crowds in Barcelona last Thursday, identified as 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub, fled the scene on foot before later stabbing a man to death and taking his car to escape, police in Catalonia said on Monday.
Police are still searching for Abouyaaqoub and have released photos of him. Thirteen people died in the van attack on Las Ramblas, while another woman was killed in a separate attack by suspected Islamist militants hours later in the seaside resort in Cambrils.
Police now consider that the death toll from the attacks stands at 15, including the Spanish man stabbed in his car as he was parking. They believe Abouyaaqoub took the car, rammed into officials at a police checkpoint in the city and then abandoned the vehicle with the body in it.
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“This person is no longer just being sought in Catalonia but in all European countries, this is an effort by European police,” he said.
Read more: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/barcelona-attack-driver-fled-scene-and-hijacked-car-say-police-1.3193243
It's amazing they've only just announced this 4 days after he killed the driver. It's not as if they were unaware, seeing as he rammed a police checkpoint.
More: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/20/spain-attacks-king-joins-public-at-mass-for-victims-in-barcelona
= new reply since forum marked as read
Police hunting the chief suspect in last Thursday's Barcelona van attack have shot dead a man to the west of the city who appeared to be wearing an explosive belt, Spanish media say.
The shooting is said to have happened on a road in the Subirats area.
Earlier, police confirmed they were hunting for Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, suspected of driving a van into dozens of people on Las Ramblas.
Some Spanish media are reporting Abouyaaqoub is the man killed.
But Spanish police have yet to officially confirm this.
Media reports quoting police sources said the man targeted in Subirats shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is Greatest"
when confronted.
The operation took place some 25 miles (40km) from Barcelona, where Thursday's attack on Las Ramblas killed 13.
An extensive manhunt was under way.
El Mundo says police were alerted to a man fitting the description of Abouyaaqoub near a petrol station.
Bomb disposal officers also attended, police say.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41004603
