Discovery of 120 Gas Canisters in Bomb-Making Workshop of Attackers in Spain

Spanish police announced that they discovered 120 gas canisters in a house that was likely a bomb-making workshop for the perpetrators of recent attacks in Spain. According to AFP, Josep Luis Trapero, the head of the regional police in Barcelona, told reporters on Sunday, August 20, that the attackers were making bombs for 'more attacks in Barcelona.' The head of the regional police also revealed that traces of acetone peroxide, a very powerful explosive, were found in the suspects' house in the town of Alcanar, 200 kilometers from Barcelona. Spanish police stated that a day before the Thursday attacks, their bomb-making workshop exploded due to an accident; thus, the attackers decided to carry out their operation using a vehicle instead of bombs, leading to the attack on Las Ramblas Boulevard in Barcelona. In this attack, which was carried out using a van, 13 people were killed and over 100 were injured. About eight hours later, a similar attack occurred in the coastal town of Cambrils, resulting in one death. Police shot dead five attackers, some of whom were wearing fake explosive vests. ISIS claimed responsibility for these attacks. The search for one of the suspects continues. Spanish police are currently searching for a 22-year-old Moroccan national named Younes Abouyaaqoub, who was the driver of the van in the Barcelona attack. Police say this individual may have left Spain. Spanish detectives say that 12 people frequented the house of the attackers, which contained the bomb-making workshop, one of whom was an imam. Investigations are ongoing regarding the role of Abdelbaki Es Satty, the imam of the small town of Ripoll in the Pyrenees mountains. It has been reported that he led many local youths towards extremist Islamic ideologies. Police are also examining the DNA of individuals who died in the explosion at the attackers' house. There is a possibility that Abdelbaki Es Satty was killed in this explosion.