There are several reasons to think that IS and other terroristic groups will organize other attacks in Europe, in France in particular, again in the future. The intent is to cause mass casualties amongst the population. That’s what is affirmed in the beginning of the report “Changes in modus operandi of the Islamic State terrorism attacks” that underlines the need to better develop the exchange of information between EU states.
In this report, published in January 2016 and presented at the European Parliament in the last days, it is affirmed how there is no concrete evidence that terrorists use the flow of migrants to enter Europe unnoticed.
Indeed, according to some reports, even the centers for migrants represent a target for recruiters. However there is a possibility that elements of the Sunni Muslim are amongst Syrian refugees in Europe and they may be vulnerable to radicalization by IS recruiters .
Changes in the strategy of terrorists attacks
Investigations after Paris attacks indicated how the broader strategy of IS is to go global, there is the possibility of terroristic attacks in different EU states. According to Intelligence, IS developed an external action command trained for attacks in an international environment.
IS terrorist cells currently operating in the EU, Europol affirms, are largely domestic and locally based. It’s possible that terrorists went to Syria to train for attacks and then they came back, but not necessarily.
During the terroristic attacks, suicide bombers consider themselves more as heroes than religious martyrs.
A large part of terrorists have been diagnosed with mental problems before joining the IS (20%), while 80% of recruits have criminal records varying from petty crimes to more serious offences.
Terrorism attacks, training and emotional detachment
What is terrifying is that the nature and the structure of IS allows to operate attacks with an emotional detachment, as it has been noticed during the Paris shootings. Until now there is no conclusive evidence on the role that drugs play to achieve a similar mental state. Worrying that’s to choose where, when and how to operate a terrorism attack, IS shows its capacity to strike and will, at any time and almost any chosen target. But , Europol affirms, EU should not forget that IS is not the only religiously inspired terrorist organisation threatening Western countries. EU should keep in mind that Al-Qaeda is still a factor and focus on a broader range of religiously inspired groups in its fight against terrorism. In the meantime this change in the modus operandi of IS attacks permits Western states to understand the threat of these groups and to prepare for future scenarios and to make easier the exchange of info on terrorism between states.
There is evidence on the existence of small terrorists’ training camps in some EU member states and especially in Balkan states. Sports activities are usually used by terrorists to train for resistance. Analysing the terrorists’ profiles, it is clear that the recruitment may happen rapidly, without the need of long process to radicalization.
@IreneGiuntella
There are several reasons to think that IS and other terroristic groups will organize other attacks in Europe, in France in particular, again in the future. The intent is to cause mass casualties amongst the population. That’s what is affirmed in the beginning of the report “Changes in modus operandi of the Islamic State terrorism attacks” that underlines the need to better develop the exchange of information between EU states.
In this report, published in January 2016 and presented at the European Parliament in the last days, it is affirmed how there is no concrete evidence that terrorists use the flow of migrants to enter Europe unnoticed.
