Two main accused of Ramblas terror attacks sentenced to 46 and 53 years in prison

Suspects found guilty of belonging to terrorist organisation but let off murder charges

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Mohamed Houli, Driss Oukabir and Saïd well Iazza yesterday to the trial for the attacks of 17-A. — Mohamed Houli, Driss Oukabir and Saïd ben Iazza at the trial for the terrorist attacks. Fernando Villar / Efe

BarcelonaThe Spanish High Court has sentenced the two main defendants over the 17-A to 46 and 53 years in prison. The longest sentence, 53 years in prison, is for Mohamed Houli Chemlal, the survivor of the Alcanar explosion, and the 46-year sentence is for Driss Oukabir, who rented the van for the Rambla attack. According to the sentence, which was made public this afternoon and is over 1,000 pages long, the two are responsible for belonging to a terrorist organization, possession of explosives and will to cause great terrorist damage.

The court has added a request not made by the prosecution and has also convicted them of 29 crimes of injury by gross negligence for those injured in the Alcanar explosion. Houli Chemlal and Oukabir will have to compensate the 35 people affected by this explosion, which caused injuries and left the affected unfit for work. Of these, 13 are police officers and two are firefighters.

Although the victims wanted them to be sentenced for the 16 murders in the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, the court ruled it out. As for the third and last defendant, Saïd ben Iazza, who lent documents and a van to buy explosive materials, he was sentenced to 8 years in prison for collaborating with a terrorist organisation.

According to the sentence, the effective fulfillment of the 46 and 53 years of imprisonment of Houli Chemlal and Oukabir will not exceed 20 years. The penalties for each crime are as follows:

Mohamed Houli Chemlal durant la primera sessió del judici a l'Audiència Nacional — Fernando Villar / Efe

12 years' imprisonment for membership of a terrorist organisation
15 years' imprisonment for possession of explosives
12 years' imprisonment for wilful intent to cause major terrorist damage
29 offences of six months' imprisonment (14.5 years) for recklessly causing bodily injury