Jed Neill
SPANISH police evacuated and cordoned off one of Barcelona’s main tourist attractions yesterday, the Sagrada Familia basilica, as part of an anti-terrorist operation.
A bomb squad was sent to check a van parked next to the church, but police later said it was a false alarm and ruled out that the van contained any dangerous material.
Nearby shops had also been evacuated as a precaution.
Last month, a series of attacks by jihadists in and around Barcelona killed 16 people.
The Basilica designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi attracts millions of tourists every year and is on track to be completed by 2026 to coincide with the centenary of Gaudi’s death.
