Portugal’s President has been in contact with Spain’s King felip VI to condemn “with vehemence, the terrorist act," that left 13 people dead after a van was driven through crowds of shoppers in Barcelona on Thursday.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also expressed support today for the family of a Portuguese woman died when the van deliberately was driven into members of the public ambling along Las Ramblas, possibly Barcelona’s most popular tourist street.
Thirteen people died as a result of this attack that left close to a hundred injured. The incident took place on Thursay evening at around 5pm and killed or injured people from 34 countries. The attack was claimed by the terrorist group, Islamic State.
The 74-year-old Portuguese woman who died, lived in Lisbon, as confirmed by Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, José Luís Carneiro.
In a message posted on the Presidency’s website, Rebelo de Sousa, "expresses his support for the family at this difficult moment and expresses his deep condolences."
The Secretary of State has informed the family of the Portuguese woman who died and stated his "willingness to support them in everything that is necessary," starting with the formal identification and then transfer of the body back to Portugal.
The Portuguese women was on a trip to visit her 20-year-old granddaughter when terror struck. It remains unclear as to whether the younger woman has been killed or lies injured as police have had no success in tracing or identifying her.
Later on Thursday, a car carrying five men ploughed into pedestrians in Cambrils, 70 miles south-west of Barcelona. These men were shot dead by police whose officers were in no mood to take risks after the horrific incident in Barcelona that killed 13 people.
The Catalan directorate of civil protection confirmed that a woman had died on Friday morning as a result of the Cambrils attack.
At noon today, Friday August 18th, in Barcelona, the King and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy led a solemn crowd in a minute’s silence for the 14 victims marking the start of three days of mourning after the most serious attack on Spanish soil since the 2004 train bombing in which 190 people died near Madrid.
Picture from deadline.com
The Queen Elizabeth II said in a message to her Spanish counterpart, "Prince Philip and I send our sincere condolences to Your Majesty, and the people of Spain, following the terrible terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils which killed and seriously injured many.
"It is deeply upsetting when innocent people are put at risk in this way when going about their daily lives.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and the people who are recovering in hospital.
"Please convey our heartfelt sympathies to all who have been affected by these appalling incidents."
