Barcelona terrorists also targeted Camp Nou in 2017 attacks - report

Barcelona terrorists also targeted Camp Nou in 2017 attacks - report

Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium was a target for the terrorist cell that conducted attacks in the city a year ago, Catalan newspaper “El Periódico” reported on Wednesday.

The terrorists, who left 13 people dead and more than 100 injured when a van driver struck pedestrians on Aug. 17, 2017, also planned another attack during Barcelona’s first La Liga game three days later, according to the newspaper.

However, five of the men responsible were killed by police two days before the game, which went on as planned with players wearing black armbands and the name of the city on their shirts in place of their names.

Investigators found research into the schedules and access points of the Camp Nou on the phones of one of the attackers who died in the incident, as well as the writings of another who had prepared explosives, the report said.

Members of the cell also reportedly visited the Camp Nou team store, leading investigators to conclude they planned to enter the stadium dressed as fans.

The Catalan Department of the Interior declined to comment “for the moment” when contacted by ESPN. A source close to the club’s board appealed to journalistic “judgment,” but said Barcelona “always works in close collaboration with the security forces.”

The Barcelona source also said the club had redoubled their efforts to improve the security at the Camp Nou and the rest of their facilities since the attack, and are not aware of any terrorist alert in the past year.

ESPN Deportes’ Jordi Blanco contributed to this report.

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Global News


Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium was a target for the terrorist cell that conducted attacks in the city a year ago, Catalan newspaper "El Periódico" reported on Wednesday.
The terrorists, who left 13 people dead and more than 100 injured when a van driver struck pedestrians on Aug. 17, 2017, a...

Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium was a target for the terrorist cell that conducted attacks in the city a year ago, Catalan newspaper "El Periódico" reported on Wednesday.

The terrorists, who left 13 people dead and more than 100 injured when a van driver struck pedestrians on Aug. 17, 2017, also planned another attack during Barcelona's first La Liga game three days later, according to the newspaper.

However, five of the men responsible were killed by police two days before the game, which went on as planned with players wearing black armbands and the name of the city on their shirts in place of their names.

Investigators found research into the schedules and access points of the Camp Nou on the phones of one of the attackers who died in the incident, as well as the writings of another who had prepared explosives, the report said.

Members of the cell also reportedly visited the Camp Nou team store, leading investigators to conclude they planned to enter the stadium dressed as fans.

The Catalan Department of the Interior declined to comment "for the moment" when contacted by ESPN. A source close to the club's board appealed to journalistic "judgment," but said Barcelona "always works in close collaboration with the security forces."

The Barcelona source also said the club had redoubled their efforts to improve the security at the Camp Nou and the rest of their facilities since the attack, and are not aware of any terrorist alert in the past year.

ESPN Deportes' Jordi Blanco contributed to this report.

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