Spain terror attacks victims remembered in solemn ceremony in Barcelona
The ceremony at the Sagrada Familia, the basilica that is one of the symbols of Barcelona, takes place amid heightened security.
Sunday 20 August 2017 16:12, UK
Spain's King and Queen have attended a solemn mass at Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica for the victims of the terror attacks.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, along with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and other officials, arrived for the ceremony celebrated on Sunday by the Archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Joan Josep Omella.
On Thursday, a van veered into a crowd on Barcelona's famous boulevard Las Ramblas and killed 13 people. Hours later, a car attack in the seaside town of Cambrils killed another person.
More than 120 people were wounded in the twin attacks.
At the ceremony, Cardinal Joan Josep Omella welcomed families of the victims and representatives of Catalonia's Muslim community along with the royals and top government officials.
He said the presence of so many people was a "beautiful mosaic" of unity to work for a common objective of "peace, respect, fraternal coexistence and love".
:: The victims of Spain's terrorist attacks
The celebration took place as Spanish police put up scores of roadblocks across the northeast in their manhunt for the suspected driver of the van.
Police in Catalonia are searching for Younes Abouyaaquoub, a 22-year-old Moroccan suspected of carrying out the attack.
Local media say the manhunt is concentrating on the towns of Ripoll and Manlleu.
The investigation is also focusing on a missing imam who police believe could have died in a massive house explosion Wednesday.
Police believe Abdelbaki es Satty may have radicalised the young men in the extremist cell, which may have accidentally blown up the house in the seaside town of Alcanar.
Police say two bodies have been identified from the house.
Spanish authorities have said the terror cell behind the attacks has been "dismantled".
Islamic State has said it was behind the attacks.
Much of the investigation so far is focusing on Ripoll, a town in the Catalan foothills where all of the known members of the cell grew up.
Police have searched nine homes in the town, including es Satty's. French police are carrying out extra border checks on people coming in from Spain.
Neighbours, family and the mayor of Ripoll said they were shocked by news of the alleged involvement of the young men, whom all described as integrated Spanish and Catalan speakers.
By late Saturday, the Catalan emergency service said 53 attack victims still remained in hospital, 13 of them in critical condition.
On Saturday, the Spanish royals visited injured attack victims in local hospitals, placed a wreath and candles at the attack site on Las Ramblas and signed a book of condolences at Barcelona city hall.