Barcelona attack live: Police kill four in separate counter-terror operation in Cambrils

Spanish media are reporting that the Cambrils terror suspects were attempting to carry out an attack similar to the one in Barcelona.

Police thwarted the attack in a shootout which left four suspects dead and a fifth one injured.

State-owned television network RTVE reported that the suspects had planned to drive a van at pedestrians in the seafront area of the coastal town which is a popular tourist destination south west of Barcelona.

A Melbourne paramedic who attended to victims of the Bourke Street tragedy has told of the horror which unfolded on Las Ramblas.

MFB Commander Graeme O'Sullivan was with his wife on the rooftop of their Barcelona hotel when the white van started mowing down pedestrians.

"We were up on the sixth floor roof terrace, just the pool area, enjoying a few drinks," he told Nine News.

"We could clearly hear thuds as the vehicle was running into people, and then a short time after that, obviously, several very loud sickening screams from the people involved down at street level."

Mr O'Sullivan said the similarity to the Bourke Street Mall event was chilling, describing it as a terrible scene.

Four suspected terrorists are dead and one injured in a counter-terror raid in the coastal town of Cambrils, police have confirmed.

Five other people are understood to be injured on the seafront esplanade in the Cambrils attack, allegedly by the suspected terrorists who were then shot by police.

Police are investigating links between the Cambrils incident and the Barcelona attack and whether tourists were deliberately targeted.

Both cities are popular tourist destinations and August is the peak season for visitors.

Police are also investigating an explosion which destroyed a house in Alcanar, south west of Barcelona, on Thursday morning. It is believed the explosion which killed one person is linked to terrorist activity.

An Australian woman who was survived recent terror attacks in London and Paris has given a dramatic account of the Barcelona van attack.

Julia Monaco says she won't let terrorism defeat her, despite the attack being the third she's been caught up in the past three months.

Ms Monaco, who was shopping with a friend on Las Ramblas when the carnage unfolded, told 3AW she ran for her life.

"We started seeing people looking incredibly distressed," she said.

"The next second we knew we were literally running for our lives to the very back of the store where we were told to get on the ground, away from the windows and just lay as flat as possible. We hid behind a clothing display that was about knee-high.

"There was considerable panic. There were two children who were screaming. Thankfully, I can say I'm OK."

Despite her experience, Ms Monaco said she won't be taking her parents' advice and cutting her European adventure short.

"I feel a bit rattled ... but I don't feel like I want to go home ... I don't want to let 'them' win. I'll finish what I started. "[I] still want to travel the world, maybe there's something wrong with me but I'll keep going."
 
 

Catalan police report they have killed the perpetrators of a terrorist attack in Cambrils, south-west of Barcelona in Spain.

Earlier media reports said several attackers were shot dead in the shootout in the town. The BBC has reported four attackers were shot dead.

It's not known if the Cambrils operation is linked to Thursday's deadly van attack in Barcelona that's killed 16 people and injured more than 100.

Catalan emergency services warned that people in the coastal town should "stay home, stay safe".

Spanish police are searching a second van, this one believed to be the getaway vehicle used in the Barcelona attack.

The van was located in the town of Vic, west of Barcelona.

Spanish reporter Roger Rovira said the van was hired at the same time from the Telefurgo rental company in Sabadell, where the van used in the attack was sourced.

Rovira reported robots were sent to check the van and people were warned to stay back.

Spanish media outlets are reporting four people have been killed in a shootout with police in the coastal town of Cambrils, south-west of Barcelona.

Authorities moved the investigation to the town a few hours ago while the hunt for the driver of the van involved in the Barcelona terror attack is still under way.

Residents of the town, which is close to a number of popular tourist resorts, were warned to stay inside during the the police operation.

Spanish police are running a counter-terrorism operation in the coastal town of Cabrils, south of Barcelona.

Residents have been told to stay inside and not share unverified information.

The 112 Catalonia emergency service tweeted: "If you're now in Cambrils avoid going out. Stay home, stay safe. Police operation ongoing."

The operation is understood to be related to the Barcelona terrorism attack.

More accounts of the terrifying moment the white van ploughed into the crowd have come in with Australian tourist Susan McLean telling Sky News she was only 100 metres from the scene. 

"All of a sudden there was this tidal wave of people running from both Placa de Catalunya and Las Ramblas towards us screaming, crying and with absolute terror etched on their faces," she said.

Malcolm Turnbull has been asked about how Pauline Hanson's decision to wear a burqa in Parliament might be viewed by the Muslim community as Australia joins other countries in addressing the global threat of extremism.

He slammed her behaviour as "a stunt", saying the Muslim community was vital in the fight against terrorism.

"Our best allies, our indispensable allies in the battle against terrorism, is the Muslim community," he said. 

"Mutual respect is critical. It is the foundation of national security.

"It was a stunt. I am not going to dignify stunts in the Senate."

ASIO boss Duncan Lewis told the media that intelligence agencies had a positive relationship with the Muslim community.

"We have very good ties with Muslim leaders across the country . . . that is central to our business," he said.

Malcolm Turnbull told the press conference Australians should not let terrorism fears stop them from enjoying their lives, adding security measures are always being improved.

"Getting the balance right is the key," he said.

"We need to provide protection and security for all Australians but equally we have to go about our lives in out Australian way."

Australian security agencies are examining how to better protect crowded venues such as sports stadia and shopping malls from terrorist attacks, Malcolm Turnbull said.

"There is heightened awareness to the vulnerability of crowded places," Mr Turnbull said.

"Protecting crowded places is a very complex issue. We are constantly working to refine and improve the ways we keep Australians safe."

Malcolm Turnbull is addressing the media in Australia.

"The Australian government and the Australian people condemn the terrorist attack," he said.

"Our love, our prayers are with the victims and their families.

"We understand 16 people have been killed. That death toll could rise."

Three Australians have been injured, one seriously.

Mr Turnbull said there was no place for complacency.

"This is a global battle against terrorism," he said.

The estimated 80 people who suffered injuries are being treated in various hospitals around Barcelona.

An Australian woman, believed to be from NSW, is among those hurt. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she was in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

At least 16 people were killed in the attack with a further 15 people suffering critical injuries. At least 50 people suffered less serious injuries after being hit by the van.

The number of people killed in the Barcelona terror attack has been revised to 16, authorities say.

A further 80 people were injured when the van careened up the busy pedestrian mall, Las Ramblas, on Thursday, local time.

The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy cancelled a holiday to return to Madrid for urgent talks with his staff.

He has denounced the mass murder as a "jihadist attack" and declared three days of national mourning.

"Today the fight against terrorism is the principal priority for free and open societies like ours. It is a global threat and the response has to be global," Rajoy said during a news conference.

The CIA warned Spanish authorities two months ago that Las Ramblas was a terror target, according to media reports.

The US intelligence agency warned police that jihadists might attack people in the popular tourist destination. 

Spanish authorities are still hunting the driver of the van which mowed down more than 100 people, killing 13.

Senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said the van drove up the pedestrian mall and was "clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible".

He said the van driver escaped on on foot and was not believed to be armed.

Two men have been arrested and another man shot dead after failing to stop at a checkpoint. It is not known if the dead man was involved in the attack.

Police are investigating whether an explosion in a house south of Barcelona, which killed one woman, is related to the attack.

Barcelona remains in lockdown with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop urging Australian travellers to follow instructions from police.

"My advice to any Australians in the area would be to ensure that they stay in their hotels, abide by any directions by local authorities and obviously listen to local media reports," she said. "But contact our consular officials if they need support and help."

More tourists are expected to flood into the city on the weekend when Barcelona FC play Real Betis at the 100,000 capacity stadium Camp Nou.
 

An Australian man who arrived in Barcelona to meet two friends arrived at his hotel to find they had been hurt in the attack.

The man's mother, who gave her name as Raelene, told Melbourne radio station 3AW her son travelled from Ibiza to Barcelona where he had arranged to meet two friends.

"He's got to the hotel and said to the lady, 'I'm here to book a hotel next to my mates,' " Raelene said.

"She said, 'Your mates have been involved in a terrorist attack, they're injured.' "

Three Australians have been confirmed injured but Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said there could be more, given the number of people caught up in the attack.

"The matter is unfolding," she said. "According to our ambassador, reports are coming in constantly. We are in constant contact with the authorities. There could be more, but at this stage, we know that there are multiple nationalities involved amongst those who were killed and those who were injured."

The confirmed injured are a woman, believed to be from NSW, and two young men from Victoria. 

"I can report that one Australian woman, believed to be from New South Wales, is in hospital in a serious but stable condition," Ms Bishop said.

"Two young Australian men have advised us that they were directly affected. They have gone back to their hotel and they will seek
medical treatment in the morning."