Government & Politics

ISIS risk in Europe ‘significantly’ reduced, says EU counter-terrorism coordinator De Kerchove: Cooperation has reduced vulnerabilities

(Politico) Islamic State “no longer has the capacity to send terrorists onto European soil” thanks to “action taken by the international coalition,” the EU’s counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove told Le Monde in an interview published Saturday. However, he warned “the threat […]

Health & Medicine

Europol: Violent extremists take advantage of COVID-19 pandemic A new report on terrorist activity in the EU has highlighted the threat of online propaganda during the pandemic. The research shows Islamist and far-right extremists have posed the greatest threat.

(Deutsche Welle) The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the spread of violent ideologies, according to a new report published by the EU’s law enforcement agency Europol on Tuesday. The report highlighted the prominence of online propaganda in building communities and encouraging lone wolf […]

Crime

German police busts suspected refugee smuggling ring Over a dozen suspects were linked to an operation to smuggle Syrians through the so-called Balkan route since 2019. Coordinated raids early on Tuesday involved hundreds of officers across several cities and states.

(Deutsche Welle) German authorities launched coordinated raids nationwide targeting a human trafficking ring early on Tuesday, arresting suspects in Berlin, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, federal police said in a statement. Around 400 officers mobilized in total. The raids stem from […]

Law Enforcement

Woman who planned on joining terrorists in Syria arrested in Spain She preached the most violent forms of terrorist ideology, showing her support for the recent beheading of a French teacher who showed cartoons of Prophet Muhammad

(Olive Press) A young woman who was planning to join jihadist terrorists in Syria has been arrested in Spain. Police say the woman — born and raised in Europe — had been rapidly radicalised and now wanted to join the so-called Islamic […]

Law Enforcement

Spanish police: Moroccan ISIS sympathizer radicalized multiple youths Moroccan police arrested the radicalized suspects, who were planning terror attacks in Morocco and UAE, in different operations.

(Morocco World News) After the arrest of a Moroccan ISIS sympathizer on May 20, Spanish police have said the suspect managed to convince several youths to join the terrorist group. Spanish media reported last week that police arrested the suspect in Bolanos […]

News: Europe

Spain helping US identify European jihadists in Syria Interior Ministry is receiving information from officers working on Operation Gallant Phoenix that could serve as evidence against returning fighters

(El País) Spanish agents in Syria are cooperating with Operation Gallant Phoenix, a U.S.-led effort to identify fighters from Western nations who have joined Islamic State (ISIS) and Al Qaeda-affiliated groups in the region, counter-terrorism sources told El País. The Spanish Interior […]