ISIS claims credit for van ramming tourists 

(New York, NY) –- The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) released the following statement in response to a vehicle attack in Barcelona, Spain today that killed at least 13 people and injured 50 others.

“CEP condemns today’s terrorist attack in the popular area of Las Ramblas, a tree-lined boulevard in the center of Barcelona, where a van was deliberately driven into a crowd of tourists. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, families, and friends of today’s tragedy, as well as the public safety officials of Barcelona, as they attempt to apprehend the perpetrators of this deadly act. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, which was similar to past vehicle-related incidents directed or encouraged by ISIS and relentlessly promoted and celebrated on social media platforms. CEP has documented 31 other vehicular terrorist attacks that have been carried out since 2006, collectively resulting in the deaths of at least 170 people. Since the July 2016 truck attack in Nice, France, there have been seven suspected or confirmed vehicle-related Islamist terrorist attacks in Europe.”

To view the CEP report, Vehicles as Weapons of Terror, please click here.

To view the CEP report, Spain: Extremism and Counter-Extremism, please click here.