The Olympic Games in Paris and the dangers of terrorist attacks

2024-06-04 21:35:41, Sport CNA

As this summer's Olympic Games in Paris approach, new warnings of possible attacks are coming, including the possibility of increased terrorist plots, such as the one uncovered last week by French authorities.

A report released Tuesday by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future says that despite the high potential for cyberattacks, the biggest risk during the Paris Games will come from physical threats rather than cyberspace.

"We estimate that physical security threats - including terrorism, violent extremism, civil unrest and disruptive protests - pose the greatest risk," said the report by the company's Insikt group.

"Terrorists and violent extremists – especially Islamic State and al-Qaida supporters in France and neighboring European countries – will likely continue to plan and instigate violent attacks on the Paris Olympics," the report added, suggesting that "The establishment of an increased security infrastructure for this event would make an attack with multiple victims impossible."

The warning from the group comes as French authorities say they have foiled at least two terrorist attacks targeting the Olympics.

At the end of April, anti-terrorist units in France arrested a 16-year-old from the town of Marignier, after announcing on social media that he was planning to arm himself with explosives placed on his body and blow himself up, as he said, by attacking one of the places where activities will be held within the framework of the Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, last week, French security authorities arrested an 18-year-old man and accused him of planning an attack on behalf of the Islamic State terrorist organization against the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne.

The Insikt group also warned that the Islamic State terrorist organization is spreading propaganda "inciting its supporters to carry out terrorist attacks similar to those in 2015 in Paris, which included a suicide attack at the Stade de France - which is also the venue main site where the Paris Summer Olympic Games will be held in 2024".

While there is no conclusive evidence that any large-scale attack on the Olympic games is being prepared, this terrorist group is encouraging its supporters in Western Europe to carry out attacks by exploiting the connections established through the Internet and social networks.

US officials also warned that the Islamic State-linked group from Afghanistan, known as 'Islamic State-Khorasan' or 'ISIS-K', is trying to create a new momentum after the bloody attacks in Kerman, Iran in January and in the concert hall in Moscow in March.

"We are seeing that the ISIS network is trying to settle down after a turbulent period," National Counter-Terrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid warned at a security meeting held in Doha last month.

"This ability of the Islamic State, this globally spread group, which even without a territorial base penetrates virtually into its own network of supporters, some of whom will carry out attacks, is very worrying," she said, calling the ability of the 'ISIS-K' group to recover in Afghanistan "perhaps the most pronounced ability we have seen of the global ISIS network in the last three years."

There are concerns that other extremists, who may be motivated by the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that the United States has designated as a terrorist organization and that has controlled Gaza since 2006, may also be involved.

The report published on Tuesday by the Insikt group says that the possibility of attacks on Israelis or Americans due to the war in Gaza "is very low but within the possibility."

Groups linked to Iran, including the Hezbollah terrorist group operating in Lebanon or supporters of various Palestinian terrorist groups "are likely to consider the Paris Olympics an enticing opportunity," according to the report, although it noted that it did not identify any intelligence suggesting that such groups are preparing to take action.

In addition to the various groups that may attempt to carry out physical attacks during the Paris Games, the group Insikt warns that the possibilities are high that hackers, who may be working with criminal enterprises or for other countries, will target the Olympic Games. .

Cyber ??threats to the Olympic Games include cyber attacks that can be carried out by activist hacker groups, cyber espionage and malicious operations.

"There is a possibility that Russia, China and Iran will use the Olympic Games to conduct espionage activities during the event in Paris," according to the report.

"Networks based in Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan are also likely to work together openly and covertly to spread theories critical of France, NATO and Israel", according to this report./ VOA