Thursday, August 17, 2017

UPDATE: Terror Strikes in Barcelona; Van Leaves Trail of Carnage As It Mows Down Pedestrians on La Ramblas; Thirteen Dead, 100 Injured, Including 10 in Serious Condition

TOWSON, Maryland, Thursday, August 17, 2017 - (UPDATED AT 5:55 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time) In Barcelona, Spain, a van containing suspected Evil Islamic Terrorists - and the evil terrorists involved in this profane episode are as evil as they come - sped and bashed into a crowd of completely innocent pedestrians walking along a one-third mile long stretch of roadway at an extremely popular part of downtown Barcelona late Thursday afternoon.  Some 13 persons have been killed and "more than100" injured.  The injured include at least ten people who are said to be seriously injured, the BBC and Fox News have reported.  

Police in Barcelona have announced two arrests, the BBC has reported, but one or two other suspects were said to be holed up in a Turkish Restaurant where they are said to be holding hostages.  And police say a second incident, where one or more gunmen in a Ford Focus ran a police check point, then alighted from the vehicle and opened fire on police, may be connected to the Barcelona killing.  Fox News has reported three separate pedestrian stampedes in the immediate wake of the incident, but it is not known whether any other persons were injured in the stampedes.  It is not known how many hostages are being held at the Turkish Restaurant.  A late report said the hostage incident may have ended.

Police say a Moroccan Passport has been recovered from the van in Barcelona.

A second terror incident in Barcelona has now been reported but not verified.  The driver and a passenger of a white Ford Focus automobile broke through a police check point, then alighted from the vehicle and opened fire on police.  The terrorists then fled, apparently on foot.  

Fox News (Catherine Herridge) reports that the combined incident is firm indication of the participation of a cell of terrorists.  Barcelona has shut down its subway system in an effort to reduce the movements of other terrorists still planning to strike.

ISIS has praised the attack, according to Fox News.

Police in Barcelona are said to be quite "cagey" in releasing information, SKY News reported in London.  A second van, found outside of Barcelona and said to have been rented by the same persons who rented the van that struck the pedestrians in Barcelona, has been searched and found to be free of explosives.

The runaway van in Barcelona mowed down "dozens and dozens" of people in Barcelona.  Many of those run down were in the "Las Ramblas" area of Barcelona.

Four American NCAA Basketball Teams are in Barcelona playing exhibition games.  Representatives of three of the four teams - Oregon State, Clemson and Arizona - have sent word that all of their traveling party is okay.  A fourth team, from Tulane, has not been heard from, although that is not an indication of trouble.

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