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| Julian Cadman |
Julian Cadman, seven, confirmed as among 13 killed in Barcelona attack
Family of boy with dual British-Australian nationality confirms he died in attack at Las Ramblas on Thursday
Alexandra Topping
Sunday 20 August 2017 16.29 BST
The missing seven-year-old British-Australian boy Julian Cadman was among the 13 people killed in the Barcelona terror attack, his family has confirmed.
The Spanish missing persons bureau said his family had confirmed that the boy died after a van crashed into pedestrians on Las Ramblas on Thursday.
In a statement, it said: “Julian Cadman’s family has told us he is unfortunately one of the victims of the attack and has asked us to thank all the people who have spread the news.
“In these very unjust, hard and painful moments, we accompany Julian’s family and friends. Rest in peace.
“Once again we wish to reiterate our appreciation and involvement in your search.”
In the immediate aftermath of the attack it was unclear what had happened to Julian, who had dual British-Australian nationality.
On Friday Theresa May, the prime minister, said the British government was “urgently looking into reports of a child believed missing, who is a British dual national”.
Reports emerged that he had been separated from his mother, who was badly injured. It is understood that she is in a serious condition in hospital. Relatives shared pictures of Julian in an attempt to locate him, while his father and grandmother were understood to have arrived in Spain on Saturday after travelling from Australia.
The boy’s father, Andrew Cadman, landed on Saturday afternoon to comfort his seriously injured wife, Jumarie, known as Jom.
It is understood she was in the area to attend a family wedding when she and her son were struck by the terrorist’s van which killed 13 people and left more than 100 injured.
In a statement issued through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia, the 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.”
On Saturday El País reported that the seven-year-old had been found alive in hospital. But Catalan police quickly denied that report in a tweet from its English language account.
The force said “all the victims and injured have been located”, downplaying speculation until a formal identification was carried out.
As well as confirming Julian’s death, Catalan police also said they had confirmed the identities of a Belgian and Italian victim, but did not name them.
Of the 14 people killed in both the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks, 12 have been identified by police or other sources, and officers are in the process of identifying the remaining two. Police said victims’ families had “communicative priority” for new information.
A manhunt is still under way for Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, the only suspected member of the jihadist cell who has not been either detained or killed, with police roadblocks in place in many parts of Catalonia.
Police said the van driver was part of an Islamist extremist cell which also attacked pedestrians in the early hours of Friday morning in the coastal resort of Cambrils, leaving one woman dead and six injured.
Catalan police chief Josep Lluis Trapero told a news conference the extremist cell was still believed to consist of 12 men who had been planning attacks for more than six months. Abouyaaqoub is still at large, four have been arrested and there were two sets of human remains to be identified, he added.
Police shot five suspected jihadists in Cambrils – Moussa Oukabir, 17; Said Aallaa, 18; Mohamed Hychami, 24; Omar Hychami, 21; and Houssaine Abouyaaqoub, 19.
Asked if Younes Abouyaaqoub could have crossed into France, Trapero told a news conference: “We don’t have any specific information on this but it cannot be ruled out.”
Meanwhile, the Spanish king and prime minister attended a special mass on Sunday in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.
The service at the Gaudí-designed Sagrada Família, was open to the public and was also attended by Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan president, and the mayors of Barcelona, Madrid and Cambrils.
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