According to experts, terrorist attacks perpetrated by the terrorist group will increase due to their loss of their territory in Syria and Iraq

Over the past few years, the world has witnessed terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Islamic State (ISIS) in European countries, such as Russia, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. The possibility of new aggressions will increase, according to international analysts, considering the recent measures of politicians to avoid, dismantle, and frustrate the plans of ISIS and other terrorist groups that have their cradle in the states of Iraq and Syria. Experts predict that, by losing ground in their native homes, they will be forced to act from other parts of the world.

FBI director, James Comey, warns that due to the recently announced defeat of the terrorist groups, actions led by Russia and the United States, the possibility of an increment in attacks is viable. “At some point, there is going to be a terrorist diaspora out of Syria, like we’ve never seen before”, Corney stated at the cybersecurity conference at Fordham University. Comey, referring to the dispersion of the terrorist group Daesh, added that “hundreds of really dangerous people” would manage to slip away from the International Coalition and “they’re going to flow out primarily towards Western Europe”.

ISIS stands on their bases and prepares their bombs, waiting for the next massive event to attack Western society. One of their favorite strategies to intimidate their enemies are virtual threats with altered pictures. These are some of the alarming messages that ISIS direct towards Europe for Christmas and for the upcoming year.

• ISIS threat to the Vatican: SITE Intelligence Group, a company that monitors online activity of extremists, intercepted pictures suggesting attacks on the Vatican during the Christmas season. In one of the photomontages, a masked man is heading to the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in a car with a gun and a backpack, at the top of the image we can read the words “Christmas blood, so wait”.
• Christmas threat from ISIL (Daesh) to Europe: Another terrorist group, ISIL (Daesh, in Arabic) threatened with posible Christmas attacks in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, with the slogan “soon in your holidays” in French, German, and English. In one of the photomontages, Santa Claus is shown kneeling at the mercy of a hooded man in what appears to be Regent, the emblematic street of London. In other images, a hand holds a bloody knife in front of the Eiffel Tower during Christmas time.
• ISIS threat to 2018 World Cup in Russia: The terrorist group has published dreadful propaganda against 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Renowned athletes, such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, have been victims of ISIS photomontages. In the same way, one of the pictures shows a hooded and armed man looking towards the stadium where the World Cup will take place.

Although most of the terrorist acts happen in Asia and Africa, the attacks for the rest of the world and Latin America are still considered a threat since ISIS acts through  “lone wolves”, followers that carry out terrorist attacks inspired by this group without necessarily having a direct link or a support network.

These tactics of psychological terror that ISIS uses to intimidate, keep Europe at a maximum alert because at any moment another terrorist attempt could leave mayhem and mortal victims behind. Despite said alliances and associations against ISIS have been established, plans dismantled, and precautions taken, the world sleeps with one eye open.

Latin American Post | María de los Ángeles Rubio

Copy edited by Susana Cicchetto