International
ROTTERDAM: Dutch police foil possible car ramming attack
A possible car ramming attack was foiled by Dutch police in Rotterdam when a Spanish man was intercepted driving a van with gas canisters near a rock concert venue.
According to reports, the possible attack was averted at the venue known as Maassilo where California band Allah-Las was set to play after Spanish police tipped the Dutch to the potential danger.
Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb was careful not to link the recent attack in Barcelona to the foiled attack in Rotterdam when he warned against swift conclusions.
“It would be wrong at this moment to pile up these facts and conclude … there was a plan to attack with gas bottles, etcetera, because that was the picture last week in Barcelona. I would be careful with that.”
Read also: Spanish police intensify hunt for prime suspect of Barcelona attack
Two days ago, 22-year-old Morrocan, Younes Abouyaaqoub, the prime suspect of the deadly car ramming incident which witnessed the killing of at least 14 people and injured more than 100 others in the bustling Las Ramblas area of Barcelona, was killed by Spanish police.
According to police, the suspect who was wearing what appeared to be an explosives belt was gunned down after security operatives were alerted to the presence of a suspicious man near Subirats, west of Barcelona.
Police have been on the hunt of Abouyaaqoub who had been the focus of an extensive international manhunt after he escaped from the scene of the incident in the Las Ramblas area when he stabbed a driver to death and hijacked his car on Thursday night in his getaway.
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