TERROR WARNING: ISIS plotting large-scale UK attack

[Anthea]

Express

TERROR WARNING: ISIS plotting 'large-scale'
Paris-style attacks in UK and rest of Europe

The terror group is feared to be preparing more mass casualty strikes after the jihadis developed an "external actions command" for "special forces style" operations abroad.

A total of 130 people were killed in Paris last November after ISIS fighters went on a suicide rampage around the French capital, targeting cafes, a concert hall and a football stadium.

A report on the group, also called Daesh, by Europol, said: "This could mean that more attacks such as those that took place in Paris in November are currently being planned and prepared."

The European Union's (EU) law enforcement agency also suggested extremist recruiters may target the tens of thousands of refugees who reach Europe after fleeing the Middle East and West Africa.

The report was published at the launch of the European Counter Terrorism Centre.

It said: "It is possible that elements of the (Sunni Muslim) Syrian refugee diaspora in Europe may be vulnerable to radicalisation.

"Indeed there are reports that refugee centres are being specifically targeted by Islamic extremist recruiters."

Entitled 'Changes in modus operandi of Islamic State terrorist attacks', the study found the Paris attacks appear to indicate a shift towards a broader strategy of ISIS "going global".

It said new attacks will most likely primarily target "soft targets", with strikes against critical infrastructure such as nuclear facilities not seen as a priority for ISIS at the moment.

The report revealed there may be smaller scale terror training camps in the EU and Balkan countries as well as in Syria.

Shockingly, the report said a significant proportion of foreign fighters were diagnosed with mental problems before joining ISIS.

And the terrorists are using encryption and anonymous tools to acquire weapons and to communicate which prevents overseas authorities from using "conventional observation".

The report said: "There is every reason to expect that ISIS, ISIS inspired terrorists or another religiously inspired terrorist group will undertake a terrorist attack somewhere in Europe again, but particularly in France, intended to cause mass casualties amongst the civilian population.

"This is in addition to the threat of lone actor attacks, which has not diminished.

"In selecting what to attack, where, when and how, IS shows its capacity to strike at will, at any time and at almost any chosen target."

British security services have repeatedly highlighted the risk of a roaming gun massacre following the Mumbai bombings in 2008.

And Europe has been on tenterhooks in the wake of the November 13 2015 Paris attacks.

Talking at the launch of the new centre, Europol director Rob Wainwright, said: "Our ambition is for the European Counter Terrorism Centre to become a central information hub in the fight against terrorism in the EU, providing analysis for ongoing investigations and contributing to a coordinated reaction in the event of major terrorist attacks."

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