How terrorists have turned to vans and lorries to murder more than a hundred people across Western Europe in a matter of months

  • Attacker mounted a pavement in Barcelona before mowing down pedestrians
  • At least 13 feared dead and many injured in the 'terrorist attack' this afternoon
  • Police are hunting the driver and it is not yet clear who carried out the atrocity
  • But it is not the first time vehicles have been used to commit mass murder 

By Julian Robinson for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A driver has deliberately ploughed a van into pedestrians in Barcelona killing at least 13 and wounding dozens.

Police have described the incident, along one of Spain's busiest streets, as a 'terrorist attack' amid fears he driver is armed and has stormed a restaurant.

A hunt is still underway for the attacker and it is not yet known who carried out the atrocity. 

But it is not the first time a vehicle has been used to carry out mass murder in Western Europe with similar atrocities taking place in Britain, France, Germany and Stockholm and claiming well over 100 lives. 

A driver has deliberately ploughed a van into pedestrians in Barcelona killing at least 13 and wounding dozens

A driver has deliberately ploughed a van into pedestrians in Barcelona killing at least 13 and wounding dozens

On Bastille Day in the summer of last year, 86 people were killed when a truck was driven through crowds enjoying fireworks in Nice

On Bastille Day in the summer of last year, 86 people were killed when a truck was driven through crowds enjoying fireworks in Nice

Low tech attacks using stolen and hired vehicles to randomly rammed into crowds, have been increasingly used by terrorists unable to get hold of guns and explosives.

It is 'nigh on impossible' for security services to monitor and stop potential terrorists planning such murders and the only way to prevent them is by using barriers to protect pedestrians, according to one expert.

Managing Director of Corporate Security Services Will Geddes earlier this year said attacks of this kind will likely increase.

He said: 'We have seen a marked increase since the attacks in Nice last year and there is every good chance it will become regular as it is a very easy platform to deliver an attack.

In June a team of jihadists used a hire van to drive through pedestrians at London Bridge before going on the rampage with knives

In June a team of jihadists used a hire van to drive through pedestrians at London Bridge before going on the rampage with knives

'Whether they are going to be permanent or temporary, time will tell. It is very difficult to stop, nigh on impossible.'

Before today's attack there had been a series of atrocities using cars and trucks in 2016 and 2017.

In June a team of jihadists used a hire van to drive through pedestrians at London Bridge before going on the rampage with knives.

On March 22, Khalid Masood, 52, drove a Hyundai 4x4 over Westminster Bridge, mowing down members of the public before crashing into a fence beside Big Ben.

He then got out of the car and attacked PC Keith Palmer with a knife.

Masood was shot twice by police and died when he was taken to hospital.

Five people died in the attack, including PC Palmer.

In April, in central Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, a hijacked truck was deliberately driven into crowds before being crashed through a corner of a department store

In April, in central Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, a hijacked truck was deliberately driven into crowds before being crashed through a corner of a department store

The day after the Westminster attack, a man in Antwerp drove into a crowded shopping area in the Belgian city in an attempted attack, but no one was injured.

In April, in central Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, a hijacked truck was deliberately driven into crowds before being crashed through a corner of a department store. 

An ISIS-inspired massacre took place in Germany when a terrorist drove a truck through a Christmas market in Berlin.

Twelve people were killed in the attack on December 19.

Anis Amri stole a cargo truck and killed 12 people when he drove through a Christmas market next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Breitscheidplatz.

Among the dozen people killed was the original driver of the truck Lukasz Urban who was found dead with a gunshot wound in the passenger street.

An ISIS-inspired massacre took place in Germany when a terrorist drove a truck through a Christmas market in Berlin

An ISIS-inspired massacre took place in Germany when a terrorist drove a truck through a Christmas market in Berlin

Amri was a Tunisian who had failed to gain asylum status in the country. He was killed in Milan four days later after an international manhunt.

But the most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016. 

On the evening of July 14, a 19-tonne cargo truck was driven into crowds on the Promenage des Anglais.

ISIS fanatic Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was behind the wheel and after exchanging gunfire with police, the Tunisian migrant was shot dead.

Thousands had gathered on the seafront to watch the fireworks that night. 86 of them died and 434 were injured. 

 

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