Foreign fighters returning from the Islamic State’s self-declared caliphate will raise the risk of complex and large-scale terror attacks in Europe, according to a new report released today from
Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre (JTIC) by business information provider
IHS Markit.
“In response to its territorial collapse in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State is likely to widen its tactical arsenal, employ new technologies and strengthen its roots in local Islamist networks, building resilience despite the losses in its heartlands,” said
Otso Iho, senior analyst at JTIC.
“In addition to centrally planned and executed operations, there also remains a substantial threat from lone actors conducting attacks in the name of the Islamic State, which are usually then claimed by the group,” said Iho.
In Western Europe in 2018 to date, JTIC has recorded 44 attacks by pro-Islamic State individuals or small cells, causing at least 334 fatalities and 1,248 wounded.
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