Netherlands possible ISIS target in new attack warning
Terrorist organization Islamic State is planning more attacks in Europe and the Netherlands may be a target, according to a warning report Europol released on Friday. The European policing force thinks that ISIS will likely keep to attack tacticts currently used in Syria and Iraq - car bombs, kidnappings, extortion and suicide bombings, AD reports.
"France remains high on the target list for IS aggression in the EU, but so too do Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom." the report reads. ISIS is targeting countries that teamed up with the United States in fighting the terrorist organization in Syria and Iraq, according to the report, which is based on information from various intelligence services.
Exactly what form of attacks Europe can expect, is unclear. But ISIS considers the attacks in Belgium and France over the past year to be great successes, the report states. These were group attacks and suicide bombers targeting random places where people gather.
According to Europol, this shows a shift in targets for the terrorist organization - from police officers to random targets. "Attacks on random targets have an important effect, namely to increase fear among the population", according to the report. This shift indicates that major infrastrucutre such as power plants likely "have no priority for ISIS".
There are already dozens of ISIS jihadists in Europe, willing to commit attacks, Europol writes. "We have to be vigilant, since the threat posed by the so-called Islamic State and returning foreign fighters is likely to persist in the coming years", Gille de Kerchove, the European coordinator for counterterrorism, said, according to the newspaper. "These people are trained to use explosives and firearms and they have been indoctrinated by the jihadist ideology. An effective response requires a comprehensive approach and long term commitment."
