Tom HallSpanish police have said that the men responsible for terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils on 17 August 2017 had researched festivals in the area as potential targets.
The 2017 attacks left 14 dead and more than 130 injured after cars were deliberately driven into crowds at two separate locations.
But a report released by police says that the men involved had also researched Rototom Sunsplash Festival in Benicassim, the Razzmatazz concert venue in Barcelona and various LGBT clubs in Sitges, Barcelona.
Web searches included ‘Barcelona concerts calendar,’ ‘all festivals 19.08.2017 in the Valencian community,’ and ‘major festivals in Sitges 2017’. The searches were conducted during the period from 13-17 August, in the days leading up to the attacks.
Police believe the group were taking inspiration from the 2015 attack on the Bataclan in Paris and the 2016 attack on Pulse nightclub in Florida.
The news comes after a string of high profile shootings at music festivals and venues over the last couple of years. BPM festival was targeted in Mexico in January 2017, followed by the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017 and the October 2017 shooting at Route 91 Harvest Music festival in Las Vegas.