| Bar Iruna attack | |
|---|---|
| Location | Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Date | December 26, 1987 6:00 pm (UTC+01:00) |
| Target | Americans |
Attack type | Bombing |
| Weapons | Grenade |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Injured | 9 |
| Perpetrators | Catalan separatists |
On December 26, 1987, a bomb attack on a United Service Organizations (USO) club in Barcelona, Spain killed an American sailor and injured nine others. The attack, on Bar Iruña, was perpetrated by Catalan nationalist terrorists. 22-year-old Ronald Strong from Reeders, Pennsylvania was the person who died, having received shrapnel wounds to his lungs and kidneys.
Both Terra Lliure and Catalan Red Liberation Army (ERCA) claimed responsibility. Residents claimed that anti-American slogans and graffiti near the bar at the time suggested the incident was linked to the extension of the Spain-United States military treaty (Pact of Madrid), which was first signed during the tenure of caudillo Francisco Franco in 1953.[1][2]
Terra Lliure had previously claimed responsibility for an attack on an American consulate in Barcelona in October, which wounded eight sailors.[3] A woman claiming to be from ERCA took responsibility "against an establishment of the Yankee war marines" in a call to news agency EFE. However, the authorities doubted its credibility.[4]
See also
References
- ↑ Delaney, Paul (28 December 1987). "American Sailor Dies in Barcelona After U.S.O. Blast That Hurt 10". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Countdown begins to remove US military bases from Spain". Christian Science Monitor. 9 November 1987.
- ↑ "Archives". Los Angeles Times. 27 December 1987.
- ↑ "A U.S. Sailor died Sunday from injuries suffered in".