ISIS planning attacks on commercial flights, Nigerian govt warns

Plans by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to cause chaos and deaths around the world may be extending to Nigeria.

A statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has warned about an ISIS threat to attack commercial flights.

The warning is on the heels of a recent message by the group which was published by some media agencies known to have inside knowledge of the group’s activities.

The SGF’s warning is contained in a memo dated May 25, 2018, sent out to security agencies, included aviation regulators and sighted by Ripples Nigeria.

The statement singed by OM Olaoye on behalf of the Secretary to the Government revealed that ISIS seems to be strategising with more focus on the Middle East and Asia following the loss of most of its territory in Iraq and Syria.

In part, the statement by the Secretary to the Government reads; “Available reports reveal that Al-Abd al-Faqir Media, a pro Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) media outlet, on the 6th of April, 2018, warned that ISIS plans to attack commercial flights and “bring bloodshed to the skies”.

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“The warning which was in English, French and Arabic was distributed by Telegram and other online outlets and was accompanied by an image of a clean-shaven dark-haired white man sitting on the aisle seat of a flight with a knife in his hand.

Reports say statements from ISIS affiliated media groups such as Al-Abd al-Faqir media are often used to advise followers on new attack methods and targets.

The image of a white man with a knife in his hand also suggests that the attack could be carried out with a knife as was the case during the 9/11 attacks in the US which occurred in 2011.

The warning is coming days after citizens of the United States of America and the United Kingdom warned their various embassies to be wary of possible terrorist attacks in Russia.

Reports say both countries have warned their citizens against travelling to Russia for the World Cup with the US placing the host country’s terrorism threat alert at “level 3”.

A recent report by a British newspaper, The Sun, also recently reported that ISIS leaders of the are sneaking battle-hardened jihadists from Syria into Nigeria to train terrorists for possible attacks in Britain,

Fanatics including Boko Haram insurgents were also being sent to the Middle East for training in a chilling “exchange programme,” the newspaper added.

The newspaper said there were fears that strong links between Nigeria and the UK would make it easier for ISIS to send its killers to Britain to orchestrate terror attacks, death and destruction.

It noted that more than 150 British troops were conducting counter-terror training with Nigerian forces in an attempt to stem the bloody tide — and stop IS from taking hold of the West African region.

 

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