Russian citizens on Monday pay tribute to the victims of the concert hall attack in Moscow. CHINA DAILY
The US-based SITE intelligence group reported on Monday that the Islamic State was threatening to launch terror attacks on the four stadiums hosting the upcoming UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. The threat came in the backdrop of the recent terrorist attack in Moscow. Thankfully, two matches played a day after the threat concluded safely.
Just last week, ISIS-K, a branch of the IS, had threatened German football fans through the same channel. The threats ultimately turned out to be false alarms, but the authorities cannot afford to take them lightly.
On Nov 13, 2015, during a friendly match between the French national team and the German national team in Paris, attackers tried, unsuccessfully, to storm the stadium, leading to panic across Paris.
With the United States and its allies withdrawing forces from Afghanistan, Afghanistan ceases to be as attractive a destination for terrorist activities. It is no longer a breeding ground for the IS and other similar organizations to attract more followers. Therefore, the ISIS-K has increased its activities outside Afghanistan.
However, the ISIS-K seems to have lost its sting. Experts estimate they will continue to issue threats ahead of important matches, with the intention of exhausting the enemy till they are lulled into complacency. Paris, which will host the next Olympics, is, therefore, on high alert.
ISIS-K is an extremely brutal organization, and its ideology and personnel are not alien to China. Although the "false alarm" targeting European stadiums is far from China's shores, China must not let its guard down.
