European Observatory to Combat Radicalization – EOCR
ISIS to target 2024 Paris Olympics, reveal experts
dailypioneer – The international terror group ISIS has created a new online radicalisation module, available through various social media platforms, dark web and self-learning systems, under a Learning Management System in French language to target the 2024 Paris Olympics.The ISIS has created sleeper cells comprising Afghans who were loyal to NATO and took refuge in the European countries following withdrawal of the allied forces and takeover of Kabul by Taliban in 2021 to carry out the terrorist attacks in France, particularly lone wolf attacks, experts tracking the terror group said
Post the Afghan crisis precipitated by the withdrawal of allied forces and subsequent takeover of Kabul by Taliban in 2021, those loyal to the previous regime left that country in large numbers.Many such Afghans who helped NATO and along with them, some others who worked with NATO were taken by allied forces along with their families granted refugee status in European countries.Besides NATO affiliates, moles planted by ISIS in the Northern Alliance also got asylum in Europe.
Northern Alliance was part of the ruling regime in Kabul before the Taliban takeover, the experts said.In the run up to the flight of the NATO associates, the ISIS had merged some of its people with the Northern Alliance.Such ISIS radicals planted in the Northern Alliance also reached Europe under the guise of asylum seekers and became ISIS sleeper cells.
NATO, a security grouping of 31 countries led by the United States in general and France in particular are pressing the Taliban government in Kabul to form an inclusive governance model and in the case of failure to do so, the allied forces are likely to back groups opposed to Taliban. Those opposed to the Taliban are managing operational freedom in the host countries. ISIS and Northern Alliance cadres are now exploiting this facilitation, they said.
“In this backdrop, ISIS has increased the level of radicalization and the new self-training module was launched earlier this month with a complete set of radicalization materials including DIY (do it yourself) manuals, videos, articles and speeches,” a counter-terrorism and geopolitical analyst said, requesting anonymity.
The main emphasis of ISIS is to radicalise refugees in large numbers and begin religious conversion of the local population. Possibility of radicalising a Christian and train him to become a suicide bomber could not be ruled out, the expert said. The terror outfit is ostensibly planning to register its presence during the Paris Olympics beginning on July 26, 2024. Intelligence estimates suggest, the suicide bomber is likely to be segregated around Ramadan next year and he will not be allowed to meet anyone, according to the analysts.
The entire radicalisation materials on the Learning Management System are in French language which will make them available for potential use in other countries where French is popular or in vogue.Like the US, France too asserts its big power status in several countries and this could be the reason for ISIS to radicalise and use the Paris Olympics as a target. French language is used in Africa, Congo, Canada, Senegal, Mali, Togo, Nigeria, Switzerland and Seychelles among others, ISIS has a strong presence in Congo, Nigeria and Mali.
European Observatory to Combat Radicalization – EOCR
