The Islamic State group — also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) — has reportedly changed its tactics when planning attacks in European countries, according to a report published by the Europol's European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC).
The terrorist group has already spread its wings in European countries, having carried out multiple attacks in countries like France, and having quite a few more attacks foiled. However, the danger may be looming even larger right now, as a cornered and desperate ISIS has released a video urging its sympathisers and sleeper cells to carry out lone-wolf attacks across the world.
Now, the ECTC has said in its report on the changing modus operandi of ISIS in Europe: "In addition to France and Belgium, all other EU Member States that are part of the US-led coalition against IS are prone to be attacked by terrorists led or inspired by ISIS. Attacks may also be carried out to compromise Syrian refugees as a group and to provoke member states to change their policies towards them."
If an EU nation turns hostile towards Syrian refugees, ISIS could use examples of that hostility as a propaganda tool to win over more sympathisers, turn more people to its cause and encourage more individuals to carry out terror attacks.
'Security risk' for EU
The report also said: "If ISIS is defeated or severely weakened in Syria or Iraq by the coalition forces, there may be an increased rate in the return of foreign fighters and their families from the region to the EU or to other conflict areas, such as Libya."
It added: "Those who manage to enter the EU will pose a potential security risk for the Union. Given the high numbers involved, this represents a significant and long-term security challenge." Clearly, Europol and ECTC will have to tread on eggshells to pinpoint possible attacks -- they will have to find them without antagonising the innocent and long-suffering migrants.
