A week has passed since the terrorist attack in Moscow, which claimed the lives of more than 140 people, with reports of dozens more missing and several critically injured.
At the same time, and while many questions remain unanswered, concern about the possibility of a new round of strikes is intensifying and reaching far beyond Russia’s borders – with attention turning to an organization that until now has been largely unknown to most: ISIS -K, which was founded in 2015 and is considered a branch of the Islamic State, having its headquarters in Afghanistan and, until today, the focus of its activity in the Central Asian region.
The scenarios concern, first and foremost, Europe. Both because of its geographical location and population composition, and because it has repeatedly proven to be particularly vulnerable to terrorism.
The “sirens” have not already started sounding in its two largest countries, Germany and France, which have an additional reason to worry compared to the rest.
This is because this summer they are hosting two major sporting events, which are expected to be a pole of attraction for millions of spectators from all over the world: the first is Euro 2024, i.e. the European Football Championship, which is held from June 14 to the 14 of the following month and the second the 33rd Olympic Games, the opening ceremony of which is set for July 26.
State of high alert
“ISIS-K alert in Europe. They can hit our cities”, is the title of a relevant article published in “la Repubblica” and captures, if nothing else, the climate prevailing in governments and the relevant staffs.
It is no coincidence, then, that both Emmanuel Macron (haunted by the “ghost” of the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, with 130 dead) and Olaf Solz have already pressed the button and put the police on high alert. forces, the intelligence services and even the military, which is expected to play a major role in the coming months in both countries.
In fact, the French president has reportedly extended a hand of cooperation even to Putin, through increased information sharing and coordination to counter this threat.
It is worth noting that, according to the report of the Italian newspaper, “for months signals have been intercepted regarding the threat posed by ISIS-K, while several strikes in France and Germany have been prevented.”
It refers, in particular, to the French Ministry of the Interior, which speaks of the arrest of a man in January who was allegedly planning attacks on “Jewish targets” and a “night center for members of the LGBTQ community”, as well as the corresponding German one, which estimates that in country there are active “cores” of extreme Islamists, as well as that the most serious threat comes from ISIS-K.
Also just last week, two people were arrested in Thuringia accused of planning an attack on Sweden’s parliament.
Against this background, of course, it is not unreasonable for many to worry about the possibility of a new wave of Islamophobia in the EU, which will push for an even tougher policy towards refugees and migrants, as well as minorities, especially in some countries .
Such a thing, as is obvious, will throw more water into the mill of the Far Right, which is already “galloping” in the final stretch towards the European elections in June.
