The trial of three suspected Islamist militants accused of helping the perpetrators of a double jihadist attack in 2017 began on Tuesday at Spain’s National Court in San Fernando de Henares near Madrid.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the double attack in Barcelona and the resort town of Cambrils, resort 100 kilometres (60 miles) further south. The attacks left 16 people dead and a further 140 wounded. 

Two of the defendants are accused of belonging to the jihadist cell. The third is on trial for collaborating with the group. Prosecutors have not yet charged the three men with direct responsibility for the attacks.

"We want transparency, we need to know the truth about what happened so that it does not happen again, because until now there has been a lot of murkiness," Spanish news agency EFE cited Cambrils mayor Cami Mendoza as saying.

Read more: Deutsche Welle