Terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils (Spain)
Fifteen people lost their lives and more than 100 were injured on 17 August 2017 in Barcelona, victims of a terrorist attack (figures are not yet definitive). At around 5 pm a van smashed into people on Las Ramblas, a famous pedestrian blulevard in central Barcelona.
So-called Islamic State (IS) expressed being behind this attack, which represents a new use of a motor vehicle as a lethal weapon, as happened in Nice (14/07/2016), Berlin (12/19/2016), London (22 / 03/2017), Stockholm (04/07/2017), London (03/06/2017), Paris (06/19/2017), or Levallois (09/08/2017).
The time has come for Spain to suffer the scourge of terror. On the very day of the attack in Barcelona, at dawn, five terrorists were shot by the police in Cambrils (popular seaside resort town in Tarragona) when ploughin into pedestrians with an Audi A3 car, resulting in one person killed, six civilians and a police officer injured.
Also on Wednesday night, an explosion caused by gas accumulation completely destroyed a house in Alcanar (Tarragona), 200km south of Barcelona, killing one person and wounding seven. The house was filled with twenty bottles of propane and butane. The incident seems to be connected to Barcelona events, but investigations are ongoing.
At an early stage of identification, which is still incomplete, it has already been confirmed that victims come from all over the world, with at least 35 nationalities represented (people from Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Romania, Hungary, Macedonia, Russia, Greece, Turkey, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Pakistan, Kuwait, Venezuela, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Mauritania, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Honduras, Ecuador, Cuba, the US, Canada and the Philippines are all reported to be among those hurt). The attacks occurred in areas usually filled with tourists, especially during the summer season.
Police authorities, who carry out an arduous and constant fight against terrorism, have activated the emergency protocol provided for this kind of situation, under the highest level of security.
The judicial investigation will be conducted by the Central Court of Instruction No. 4 of the National Court (Audiencia Nacional), whose magistrate Fernando Andreu was on guard duty at the time of the events.
The victims, both wounded and relatives of deceased, whether Spaniards or foreigners, have the right to immediate medical and psychological assistance, and then to compensation for personal injuries and material losses suffered. The Spanish State also takes charge of paying the compensations that may be imposed by a final judgment to those convicted liable, and the extraordinary social benefits and pensions regulated by Law 29/2011 of 22 September, on Recognition and Comprehensive Protection to Victims of Terrorism.
BCV Lex is specialized in the defense of victims of major catastrophes and collective accidents, belonging to several international groups of lawyers with presence in different countries and with capacity to act in matters with international components that require expert knowledge in the matter.
We would like to express our deep condolences to all those affected.