University of Glasgow Rector, Aamer Anwar, experienced an extraordinary few hours when he was at the epicentre of last week's terrorist attack in Barcelona.

The Rector was attending a higher education conference in the Catalonian capital and had just taken a stroll down the famous Las Ramblas when the attack was launched. It was later claimed as the work of the so-called Islamic State terror group. 

University Rector, Aamer Anwar speaking on BBC TV from Barcelona

Thirteen people were killed in the first attack in central Barcelona, and a woman died in a second vehicle attack early on Friday in the town of Cambrils. Five suspected jihadists were shot dead by police in the second attack.

Within a short time of the first atrocity Rector Aamer Anwar found himself in the role of a news correspondent, giving his eye-witness acount on BBC Radio's PM programme, on the BBC Six O'Clock News and on Channel 4 News at 7pm.

"I heard screams"

Speaking early the next day on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, the Rector said: "I was on the Ramblas, it was a beautiful summer day, the place was packed with thousands of tourists. I was about to stop and get something to eat but it was too packed and my son, who is nine, fortunately wasn't with me - he is back in Glasgow, but he'd asked me to get him a Barcelona kit so I thought I'll walk on."

Mr Anwar praised the response of the emergency services: "I had only walked 10 seconds ahead and next thing I heard a crash. I heard screams and I turned round and looked and people were running in their hundreds."

Mr Anwar told the GMS programme a woman next to him was screaming because she couldn't see her children. "She was screaming hysterically. A policeman put his arm around her and took her away."

The Rector praised the response of the emergency services. He said: "The police officers were there very quickly. The emergency services' response was tremendous. They were running in the direction of danger." Despite staying just yards from Las Ramblas, it took him five hours to get back to his hotel. 

 

First published: 21 August 2017

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