Ten members of a jihadist cell who were planning attacks in Barcelona have been sentenced to between eight and 12 years in prison by Spain’s High Court, the Audiencia Nacional.

The terrorist cell, which was broken up in 2015 by the Catalan police force, had been planning attacks against landmark sites in the city. Its members also wanted to kidnap someone, dress them in an orange jumpsuit, and execute them in front of a camera, the court found in a ruling released on Tuesday.

A group leader suggested attacking the regional parliament

The court’s criminal division has sentenced three individuals to 12 years in prison for leading the terrorist association, while seven others have received eight-year sentences for participating in the group’s activities. The men, aged 22 through 48, did not have prior criminal records.

The cell, which called itself “Islamic Brotherhood, group for the preaching of jihad,” began taking shape in 2014 at the mosque in Terrassa, in Barcelona province. After a period of training, the defendants created a terrorist cell “with the sole aim of observing and serving the precepts ordered by Daesh (Islamic State),” said the ruling.

According to the court, the group had been planning attacks “against institutions such as the police, banks and Jewish interests in Spain, or to join Daesh.” One of the members traveled to Syria in April 2014 and died in Iraq in May 2015. Three more cell members followed in his footsteps but were arrested on the border between Bulgaria and Turkey.

Following these three arrests, group leader Antonio Sáez, who was working at a barbershop in Barberá del Vallés, suggested perpetrating attacks on Spanish soil. Court records document a meeting that was held in February 2015, when Sáez put forward the idea of attacking the regional parliament.

The police raid, dubbed Operation Charon, broke up the cell after a 13-month-long investigation with help from an officer who infiltrated the group. When Sáez made his suggestion, this undercover officer alerted his superiors about the risk of imminent attacks. Most of the cell members were arrested in April, just days after they were seen taking pictures of landmark sites across the city as part of their plan.

English version by Susana Urra.</s>Ten members of a jihadist cell linked to the Islamic State group (IS) who planned attacks in Barcelona and to film a decapitation were sentenced to 8-12 years in jail on Tuesday.

The defendants included five Moroccans, four Spaniards and a Brazilian, the National Court, which handles terror cases, said in a ruling.

They were "ready to wage an attack against institutions such as the police, banks or Jewish institutions in Spain at any time, or to join the ranks of Daesh," it added, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

The cell was based in Terrassa, not far from Barcelona, the Catalonian capital.
• Jihadist terrorists have long had Spain in their sights – here's why
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Last year, another jihadist group killed 16 people in attacks there and on the nearby popular seaside city of Cambrils.

The 10, whose cell was called "Islamic Fraternity, Group for preaching jihad," were sentenced for "belonging to a terrorist organisation'" the court said.

The three leaders of the group were given 12 years in jail while the seven others got eight years.

In March 2015, the main leader of the cell, a Spaniard who had converted to Islam, proposed to kidnap and decapitate an "infidel" whom he had already identified, film the killing and then broadcast the video online before fleeing to Syria.

He had previously proposed that the group "commit an attack against the Catalan parliament, which no one had objected to," according to the court ruling.

"He also justified decapitations and talked about making handmade bombs to commit attacks."

Police found documents calling for jihad at his home and books on European organisations such as the Basque separatist group ETA or Germany's far-left Red Army Faction, the ruling said.

Members of the cell had also gone on a recce in Barcelona, the Catalonian capital, where they took photos of the train station, a luxury seaside hotel, a shopping mall and a police station.

One member went to Syria in April 2014 and died in Fallujah in Iraq the following year.

Three others tried to follow in his footsteps at the end of 2014 but were detained at the border between Bulgaria and Turkey.

According to the interior ministry, close to a third of all arrests for "jihadist terrorism" in Spain were made in Catalonia last year.</s>Ten members of an ISIS-linked cell who planned to launch terror attacks in Barcelona have been jailed in Spain's National Court today.

Five Moroccans, four Spaniards and a Brazilian, calling themselves the 'Islamic Fraternity, Group for preaching jihad' were handed between eight and 12 years in jail.

The group, based in Terrassa, near Barcelona, had planned attacks against 'police, banks or Jewish institutions' and also expressed desires to join ISIS and film a jihadist execution video.

The ten men were sentenced to jail in the National Court for 'belonging to a terrorist organisation', documents said.

The three leaders of the group were given 12 years in jail while the seven others got eight years.

In March 2015, the main leader of the cell, a Spaniard who had converted to Islam, proposed to kidnap and decapitate an 'infidel' whom he had already identified, film the killing and then broadcast the video online before fleeing to Syria.

He had previously proposed that the group 'commit an attack against the Catalan parliament, which no one had objected to,' according to the court ruling.

'He also justified decapitations and talked about making handmade bombs to commit attacks.'

Police found documents calling for jihad at his home and books on European organisations such as the Basque separatist group ETA or Germany's far-left Red Army Faction, the ruling said.

Members of the cell had also gone on a recce in Barcelona, the Catalonian capital, where they took photos of the train station, a luxury seaside hotel, a shopping mall and a police station.

One member went to Syria in April 2014 and died in Fallujah in Iraq the following year.

Three others tried to follow in his footsteps at the end of 2014 but were detained at the border between Bulgaria and Turkey.

According to the interior ministry, close to a third of all arrests for 'jihadist terrorism' in Spain were made in Catalonia last year.</s>Barcelona have reportedly set their sights on one of Europe’s most in-demand young stars, with a whole host of giants linked with a swoop.

The Catalan outfit have an issue in defence, as aside from the fact that speculation continues to shroud Samuel Umtiti’s future at the Nou Camp in doubt, as noted by the Manchester Evening News, they are already light in that department.

SEE MORE: Griezmann on Barcelona move: Atletico Madrid ace responds to speculation

While the French international has established a crucial partnership with Gerard Pique in the heart of the backline, one that has earned the second-best defensive record in La Liga after 31 games, there isn’t much behind that duo for Ernesto Valverde to be confident in.

Yerry Mina has yet to entirely convince since his January arrival while ageing stalwart Thomas Vermaelen has had his history with injuries. In turn, Barcelona should be looking to strengthen regardless of whether or not Umtiti stays.

That could happen, as The Express, via Telefoot, report that the La Liga leaders are targeting RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano, and are preparing a whopping €100m bid for him.

The 19-year-old has impressed to date, making 73 senior appearances while featuring for France at every youth level. Further, with the report adding that Manchester United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and AC Milan have all been credited with an interest in him, that goes a long way in itself to proving how highly regarded he is.

To add further fuel to the fire, the player himself has named Barcelona as one of the clubs that he dreamed of playing for, and so it remains to be seen whether or not a move to Spain materialises in the summer.

“As a youngster, you dream of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, but to get there, you have to work,” he told Telefoot.

“I’m very proud of myself, very happy. I have to keep going in the same direction. I have to aim higher. My preference for the moment is Leipzig. Afterwards, we’ll see.”

As seen in the videos below, it’s clear as to why Upamecano is attracting so much attention. Physically strong with pace and technical quality to look composed on the ball, he ticks plenty of boxes for a modern-day centre-half.

Coupled with Barcelona’s need to strengthen in that department, a swoop at the end of the season makes sense, but time will tell if a €100m bid is made, and subsequently accepted.</s>ROME (AP) — Eusebio Di Francesco implored his Roma players to pull off the "unthinkable" against Barcelona.

Roma has an away goal but trails Barcelona 4-1 going into the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday.

Having reached the last eight for the time in a decade, Roma feels it has nothing to lose against the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

"We have the chance to do something unthinkable, considering that they practically haven't lost — a miracle if you will," Di Francesco said on Monday.

Barcelona is undefeated in the Spanish league and the Champions League. Its only three losses came in both legs of the Spanish Super Cup to Real Madrid in August and to Espanyol in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals in January.

"We've got the duty to try," Di Francesco said. "Let's remember the home match against Chelsea but let's also remember that we're facing an armada."

Roma was thoroughly impressive in beating Chelsea 3-0 in the group stage, and can also take inspiration from the last time it hosted Barcelona.

In the 2015-16 group stage, Roma held Barcelona to 1-1 courtesy of Alessandro Florenzi's astonishing equalizer from near the halfway line.

But Barcelona routed Roma 6-1 in the reverse fixture in Spain much like it manhandled the Giallorossi last week at the Camp Nou.

Own goals by Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas plus some sloppy defending that allowed Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez to score left Roma on the verge of elimination.

"Roma has never had a winning mentality — or hasn't had it for very long," said Di Francesco, who was a midfielder on the 2001 Roma squad that won the club's last Serie A title and is in his first season as the team coach.

"We need to build that mentality inside Trigoria (the team's training center) and we've got to do it with facts and not with chitchat."

While Roma is unbeaten at home in the Champions League, six of its seven losses in Serie A have come at the Stadio Olimpico, including a debilitating 2-0 defeat by Fiorentina on Saturday that dropped it to fourth place.

Fortunately for Roma, key midfielder Radja Nainggolan has returned from a thigh injury after missing last week's match in Barcelona.

Turkey winger Cengiz Under, who scored six goals for Roma in February and March, remains questionable due to an injured thigh.

It's been an up-and-down season for Nainggolan, who was punished by Roma for drunken, live Instagram postings on New Year's Eve.

"It's true that I've never won anything but those that know me know that I've always played to win," Nainggolan said. "Sometimes I prefer the toughest road possible. I chose Roma because it's got great fan support and it would be stupendous to win here."

Barcelona, meanwhile, is wary of a Roma response as it looks to reach the semifinals for the first time since its last title in 2015.

Barcelona was eliminated at this stage in the last two years.

"I've been in football a long time and know that extraordinary things can happen in football," Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said. "We've got to ensure nothing extraordinary happens tomorrow. We can't take to the field thinking they cannot compete with us. Having too much confidence could cost us dearly."

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is also wary not let in a repeat of Florenzi's goal.

"These things are rare," Ter Stegen said. "Maybe the goal made me a bit stronger, but it certainly didn't change my game. That's just part of life and football — things happen that you don't expect."</s>That is the stunning claim coming out of Spain today, with reports suggesting Barcelona were all set to land the midfielder.

Gundogan, now 27, was arguably Borussia Dortmund’s key playmaker when Barcelona came calling three years ago.

The Germany international is said to have agreed terms on a £17.4million transfer and even passed his medical.

The medical was undertaken away from Barcelona in order to avoid speculation a transfer was imminent.

And the deal would have gone through were it not for Luis Enrique.</s>The affected flight was Ryanair Flight FR3053. A spokesman told Express.co.uk the U-turn was due to a cockpit warning light.

AirNav FlightRadar data showed the plane returning to Barcelona after performing a U-turn over the Med.

Aviation monitor AirLive tweeted: "Ryanair #FR3053 to Krakow is declaring an emergency and returning to Barcelona."

The Ryanair flight declared a Squawk 7700 alert - indicating a general emergency - soon after leaving Barcelona, Spain for Krakow, Poland.

A Ryanair flight was forced to return to Barcelona following a midair alert

The plane has since returned safely to Barcelona.

A Ryanair spokesman said: “This flight from Barcelona to Krakow (12 Apr) returned to Barcelona shortly after take-off after a cockpit warning light indicated a possible minor technical issue. In line with procedures the crew contacted ATC and the aircraft landed normally.

"Customers disembarked and will board a replacement aircraft shortly. Ryanair sincerely apologised to all customers for this delay.”</s>Barcelona are ramping up their efforts to sign €50 million-rated Benfica right-back Nelson Semedo after dropping their interest in Arsenal's Hector Bellerin.

Semedo, 23, was the focus of a €30m bid from Barcelona this week, but the Primeira Liga champions are said to be refusing to lower their €50m valuation.

In an effort to speed up the signing, Barcelona's sporting director Robert Fernandez has travelled to Lisbon to force the move through as pre-season gets under way across Europe.

Fernandez has travelled with Javier Bordas, another member of the Camp Nou board, in view of agreeing a price for Semedo and closing a deal as quickly as possible.

Barcelona have failed to fill the void which was left by Dani Alves' exit last summer, with Sergi Roberto and Aleix Vidal failing to impress in Catalunya.

Semedo emerged as Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde's first-choice right back after the Liga giants were told Arsenal's Bellerin was not available at any price.

A product of La Masia, Bellerin left Barcelona in favour of Arsenal in 2011 but has long been linked with a return to his boyhood club.

The Spain international, 22, was seen as the long-term answer to the club's right-back problem by former manager Luis Enrique, though a deal never transpired.

Bellerin made 27 Premier League starts last season and impressed Barca scouts throughout the campaign, becoming one of the club's priority targets in the summer window.

But he's no longer a target following a stand-off with the north London side over his future and he's expected to remain at the Emirates Stadium.
Spain's Audiencia Nacional sentences ten Islamic extremists to between eight and twelve years in prison for a plot to launch attacks against Barcelona landmarks and behead a hostage on camera. The cell was convicted yesterday.