Scene of Cambrils attack
Scene of Cambrils attackReuters

The car used to run over pedestrians in the Spanish coastal resort of Cambrils, killing one woman, was caught speeding on camera about a week earlier in Paris, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing the French newspaper Le Parisien.

The attack in Cambrils came hours after a van travelling at high-speed drove through crowds of tourists and local people walking along the busy Las Ramblas boulevard in Barcelona. 13 people were killed in that attack.

Police in Cambrils subsequently shot dead five men wearing fake explosive belts after they charged the Audi into holidaymakers and, after it turned over, got out and began stabbing at people. One Spanish woman was killed.

Le Parisien, which did not cite its source, said on Sunday the Audi was caught on camera speeding in the Paris region about a week ago.

It said that at this stage French investigators had not found a direct operational link between the Spanish cell and France and that the car could have just been transiting through the country.

The French prosecutor's office would comment on the report.

Spanish media say the Audi belonged to Mohammed Aalla, who was arrested after the Barcelona attack. One of Aalla's brothers was killed in Cambrils and another brother, also suspected of belonging to the group, is missing.

Earlier on Sunday, Spanish police said they were closing in on the last known suspect from the terror cell responsible for the two deadly attacks.

While authorities have not named the suspect in question, it is widely believed to be 22-year-old Younes Abauyaaqoub, one of four members of the terror cell police publicly named in connection with the pair of ramming attacks.

On Friday, Catalonian police said the suspects in the twin terror attacks were preparing an even bigger assault but were thwarted in their plans.