Islamist militant who murdered Julian Cadman killed

11th September, 2017

Last month, Jom Cadman and her son Julian were visiting Barcelona for a wedding. Unfortunately, they were caught up in the deadly Barcelona Terrorist Attacks, and 7-year-old Julian was one of the victims who was murdered. Julian's mother Jom was seriously injured in the attacks, and continues to undergo treatment, and Julian's father Andrew (who had stayed behind in Australia) is now by his wife's side.

Police and security services report that 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub ("Abouyaaqoub"), the Islamist militant who used the van to ram pedestrians on Barcelona's tourist avenue Las Ramblas was killed in a town only 30 miles west of Barcelona on the 21 August 2017. It's also reported that four people have been arrested, and that further arrest warrants have now been issued for four other suspects.

In what can only be described as another senseless act of extreme religious ideology, when Abouyaaqoub drove the van into pedestrians on La Rambla in Barcelona (murdering 13 people and injuring approximately 130 others) Abouyaaqoub used the confusion and fled the attack on foot, then killed another innocent person, this time to steal the victim's car to make his escape. Well you didn't get far, 30 miles away in fact and your life, and your sense of extreme religious ideology is now over.

Nine hours after the Barcelona attack, five men thought to be members of the same terrorist cell conducted another attack and drove into pedestrians in nearby Cambrils, killing one woman and injuring six others. In that attack, all five Islamist militant murderers were shot and killed by police.

Police and security services also report that the night before the Barcelona attack, an explosion occurred in a house in the Spanish town of Alcanar, destroying the building and killing two members of the terrorist cell; including the 40-year-old Imam thought to be the mastermind.

The home had over 120 gas canisters inside, and police believe the cell was attempting to make one large bomb, or three smaller bombs to be placed in three vans they had rented, but they accidentally detonated them.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ("ISIL") have claimed responsibility for the attacks, which were the deadliest in Spain since the Madrid train bombings in March 2004, and are the deadliest in Barcelona since the Hipercor bombing in 1987.

So, whilst the perpetrators of the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks have now been found and any further threat neutralised, it's incumbent on all Australians to be forever vigilant, and to be constantly aware of your surroundings to ensure the safety and protection of not only yourselves, but all our fellow Australians, our values and our way of life is maintained. This is not an alarmist position, but unfortunately is our new reality, and I do not wish or want to see any more of my fellow Australians affected by acts of terrorism by a minority who demonstrate an extreme religious ideology.

Please also never forget Julian. Our children are precious, are our future and it's important that as a society we all work together to root out evil and to ensure the safety of all Australians.

My promise to all of my fellow Australians is to defend our Country from all enemies, both foreign and domestic. If you demonstrate an extreme religious ideology and plan to do evil, or wish to harm my fellow Australians, then rest assured our leaders, our police and security services (including those of our allies) and I will forever be vigilant, will find you and deal with you as occurred in Spain.

Thank you also to British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for your tweets and kind words, and to both the British, Spanish and Australian Governments for the help and assistance you have provided not only to the Cadman family, but all victims of these senseless Terrorist Attacks.

Philip Couper