Australian-British boy of Filipino descent is among fatalities in Barcelona attack

  BARCELONA – Spanish police on Monday have shot and killed the suspected driver of the van that rammed into pedestrians in this Spanish city last week, killing 13 people, including a seven-year-old Australia-British-Filipino boy, according to Catalan authorities. The police tweeted that Younes Abouyaaquob, 22, a Moroccan national, was killed in an operation in the town of Suribats, located west of Barcelona. Authorities initially reported that they shot dead a lone "suspicious person" in Suribats who was wearing what was believed to be an explosive belt Reports said a robot approached the body to remove the belt before police approached him and positively identified him as Abouyaaquob. According to Catalan police head Jose Luis Trapero, Abouyaaquob also had knives in his possession when he was shot. Trapero said a woman alerted police after seeing Abouyaaquob photos and she became suspicious that Abouyaaquob was wearing long sleeves despite the hot weather. Police shot dead Abouyaaquob in a rural area in Suribats. Police believed that Abouyaaquob was the sole driver of the van that plowed through pedestrians in the Las Ramblas tourist area in Barcelona on Thursday where 13 people died and 120 others were hurt. Right after the attack, reports said Abouyaaqyuob fled on foot and hijacked a car to escape Barcelona. Abouyaaquob approached the car owner identified as Pau Perez Villan, 35, then stabbed him and drove off with Villan's body. Abouyaaquob drove the car through a checkpoint near Barcelona and police fired at the vehicle. Abouyaaquob managed to flee. Villan and an unidentified woman are the 14th and 15th victims of the terror attacks in Barcelona and in the nearby town of Cambrils. In Cambrils, attackers also rammed down pedestians there. Police said Abouyaaquob was one of 12 suspects involved in the Barcelona and Cambril attacks. A manhunt is being conducted against the other attackers. Meanwhile, Julian Cadman, a seven-year-old Australian-British national of Filipino descent was among the fatalities in the Barcelona attack, the Cadman family confirmed in a statement released by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Cadman family said: "Julian was a much loved and adored member of our family. As he was enjoying the sights of Barcelona with his mother, Julian was sadly taken from us. He was so energetic, funny and cheeky, always bringing a smile to our faces. We are so blessed to have had him in our lives and will remember his smiles and hold his memory dear to our hearts." "We would like to thank all those who helped us in searching for Julian. Your kindness was incredible during a difficult time. We also acknowledge we are not the only family to be affected by the events, our prayers and thoughts are with all people affected." Julian's mother, who is a Filipina, is those who were injured in the Barcelona attack. She suffered leg and arm fractures and is recuperating in a hospital. In Manila, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement: "We join the loved ones of our little brother in mourning his passing and in praying for the eternal repose of his soul." The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted the DFA as saying that the Cadman family had been living in Australia for the last three years and that Julian and his mother were in Barcelona to attend the wedding of a cousin from the Philippines. GAC/Expat 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