Friday, January 09, 2015

Islam's Next Western Targets

By Douglas V. Gibbs

With success in creating a mood of terror in Australia with the hostage situation in Sydney last month, and the recent terror attacks in Paris, France, the Islamic Jihad is prepared to hit more targets in The West in the hopes of disrupting transportation, or sending a message by hitting iconic targets.

According to the Chief of Britain's MI5, those attacks may be coming down the pike in other locations pretty soon, as well.

Plots against The West are nothing new, and violent rhetoric by various Muslim leaders are a constant occurrence.  But, according to the head of Britain's MI5 Security Service, Al Qaeda militants in Syria are currently plotting attacks with the intention of inflicting mass casualties in the West.  His statement came shortly after 12 people were killed by a Muslim terrorist attack against the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper offices in Paris, France.

Since 3,000 people were killed during the Islamic terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, attacks have been on the rise in the world considerably, including the killing of 52 commuters in London on July 7, 2005 with suicide bombs.

Since the capture and death of Osama bin Ladin, concern has lessened as authorities perceived a reduction in terror attacks since the al Qaeda leader's removal from jihad.  However, with the rise of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and the addition of western forces in the ongoing war in that region, as the group continues to expand its self-proclaimed caliphate, the occurrences of terror attacks worldwide has increased as well.

The fighting in Syria has included al Qaeda militants from Pakistan, an added concern in a world where it seems that the many Muslim factions that have been acting independently seem to be joining forces, and working together.  Some intelligence analysts suggest that the recent alliances of Islamic forces could be part of a plot to mount a major attack against the West.

According to the MI5 chief, around 600 British extremists had traveled to Syria, many joining the militant group ISIS (Islamic State) while in that area.

In recent months, MI5 has stopped three potentially deadly terrorist plots against the United Kingdom, and it is believed that Islamic State militants in Syria have been plotting attacks on Britain and making sophisticated use of social media to incite British nationals to carry out violence.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

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