TESAT 2018 34 Terrorist situation outside the EU33 33 This section is largely based on open sources. Members of Albanian, Bosnian and regarded a viable terrorist threat. Roma minority communities are The same applies to jihadist groups predominant in jihadist groups in in the country, although some of Serbia. The country also reported their members, in particular returned propaganda activities being recorded FTFs, possess knowledge and skills in 2017, both through personal that could be used for terrorist contacts in informal religious groups, purposes. Moderate groups oppose from some informal religious venues violent methods and seek to distance as well as via the internet and social themselves from radical elements in networks. These propaganda activities their midst. were aimed at the radicalisation and Bosnia and Herzegovina asserts that recruitment of new members for up to December 2017 approximately terrorist organisations. Increasingly Western Balkan 300 persons had travelled from the women are being approached, as well country to Iraq and Syria. As per 31 as members of the Roma population. countries December 2017 an estimated 107 were Spouses of radical Islamists are found still in Syria, of whom 61 men and to be very active in recruiting other 46 women. It is believed that by that None of the Western Balkan countries women. date 41 FTFs had returned to Bosnia have reported acts of jihadist terrorism However, in 2017 there was a and Herzegovina and that 71 FTFs having taken place in their territories significant decline in activities aimed had lost their lives. In 2017 only one in 2017. Kosovo34 reported a decline at recruiting persons for terrorist (failed) attempt has been recorded of in jihadist propaganda activities and organisations in Iraq and Syria. This an individual attempting to travel from no apparent cases of financial or decline was – apart from the military Bosnia and Herzegovina to the conflict logistical support of terrorist groups. defeats and territorial losses of areas. In Bosnia and Herzegovina The country shares its concerns IS – at least in part caused by the there is little reporting to indicate about the possibility of returning FTFs arrest of a group of people in 2014 that extremist groups susceptible from the conflict areas with EU and who participated in the recruitment to violence have an organised and non-EU countries. In 2017 Kosovar and dispatching FTFs to the Syrian systematic network structure. Indeed, authorities initiated a total of 54 battlefield. No new cases of foreign there is evidence that within the cases on suspicion of participation in terrorist fighters were recorded in extremist groups there are factions terrorist activities in Iraq and Syria. 2017. with different religious and ideological These include cases in which there beliefs, creating opportunities for was no evidence of involvement of Montenegro reports the presence internal disagreement and disputes. its nationals in fighting in the conflict of several radical groups in its areas. Arrests made in Kosovo were jurisdiction, of which two groups are primarily based upon suspicion of most exposed: takfiris and jihadists. engagement in propaganda activities. Takfiris are seen as being very rigid in the interpretation of the basic Islamic postulates and perform 34 This designation is without prejudice to positions religious rituals by strict Sharia rules. on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and They distribute various propaganda the ICI Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of independence. materials via the internet but are not JIHADIST TERRORISM 35 statement by the IS leadership claiming a woman hostage in an apartment responsibility for the attack was issued. building near Melbourne, after having killed another person at the building On 11 December a 27-year-old entrance. The perpetrator was shot Bangladeshi man legally residing in the and killed by police. He reportedly USA detonated, probably prematurely, shouted “This is for IS. This is for al- a person-borne IED (PBIED) in an Qaeda”. IS claimed responsibility for underground passage in Manhattan. the attack through a message issued The blast injured three people. The by A’maq News, which described the perpetrator was arrested and admitted perpetrator as an “IS soldier”. In an to carrying out the attack in support article in al-Naba’, the group claimed of IS and in protest against United that the “caliphate soldier” killed one States (US) policies, including in the “crusader” and engaged in a fight Middle East. He began his radicalisation with police officers, injuring three of North America and process in 2014 and appeared to them before being killed. The attack have been influenced by IS calls on its was also praised in Rumiyah. The Australia supporters to perpetrate attacks in perpetrator had been charged in 2010 their countries of residence, should over an alleged terrorist plot but was they be prevented from travelling to acquitted. At the time of his death, he In 2017 the USA suffered a number join IS. The attack was mentioned by was on parole for offences unrelated to of attacks for which IS claimed IS in al-Naba’, but only by reference to terrorism. responsibility, without providing Western media reports according to evidence of its direct involvement. Two which the perpetrator stated that he On 29 July 2017 two brothers of attacks in New York City were clearly was an “IS soldier”. However, IS failed Lebanese origin were arrested on inspired by IS. On 31 October a 29-year- to officially confirm this in any other suspicion of plotting a major attack. old Uzbek citizen legally residing in way. They had planned to detonate an IED the USA, drove a rented truck into a aboard an airliner flying from Sydney In Canada, a 30-year-old refugee from walkway in Manhattan, killing eight to Abu Dhabi in mid-July. The plot Somalia deliberately struck a police people and injuring 12 others. After failed because they failed to check in officer on traffic duty in Edmonton, crashing into a school bus, he exited a bag containing an explosive device Alberta, with a van on 1 October, the vehicle brandishing imitation for the targeted flight, on which a third before trying to stab him with a knife. firearms, before being shot and brother travelled. They had received The perpetrator initially fled on foot, arrested. A note claiming the attack the explosive device from an IS then acquired another vehicle, with on behalf of IS was found in the truck. contact via mail from Turkey. After the which he subsequently injured another The perpetrator, who was known for failure, the brothers started planning four people, before being arrested. minor offences, but not for terrorism, an attack using a chemical dispersal The attack was not referred to in IS deliberately chose the date in order device, which was disrupted by their propaganda. However, reportedly, an to target civilians during Halloween arrest. The brothers in Australia were IS flag was found in the car used for the celebrations. In its weekly newsletter in contact with a fourth brother, who al-Naba’ attack on the police officer. , IS described the perpetrator allegedly was an IS commander in Syria. as an “IS soldier”, however no separate In Australia, on 5 June, a man took the perpetrator followed guidelines Russia given by al-Qaeda leader Ayman al- Zawahiri. The claim was denied by a media outlet of the al-Qaeda-linked On 3 April 2017 a suicide attacker Caucasus Emirate. detonated a bomb on a train in Saint Petersburg killing 14 people. The On 19 August a man stabbed several suicide bomber was identified as a passers-by in the Russian city of 22-year-old naturalised Russian citizen Surgut. In an A’maq News statement, born in Kyrgyzstan. The bomb was IS described the perpetrator as an “IS reportedly an improvised explosive soldier”. A video published three days device using commercially available after the attack by IS media outlet to have had ties with radical Islamists. Furat showed the perpetrator pledging explosives. Another device, planted The attack was claimed by a hitherto at another metro station, allegedly allegiance to IS, stating that he was unknown group using the name Imam happy to die as a martyr and calling for by the same perpetrator, was found Shamil Battallion, which alleged that and defused. The perpetrator is said more knife attacks. TESAT 2018 36 the man suspected of preparing a Turkey bomb attack had been detained in a counter-terrorism operation. During his transfer to the police headquarters After a series of attacks in Turkey he was able to attack and kill the claimed by or attributed to IS in 2015 officer with a knife, before being shot and 2016, which culminated in the 31 dead by a fellow policeman. December 2016 attack on a nightclub in Istanbul that killed 39 people, no IS propaganda in 2017 continued major terrorist attack was carried out calling for the killing of members of by IS in Turkey in 2017, although the the Turkish government, including threat of lone actor attacks persists. Turkish President Receb Tayyip Turkish security forces arrested Erdoğan, Turkish religious institutions hundreds of suspected IS members in and Muslim groups which IS consider Turkey, partly on suspicion of planning apostates. In addition IS accused terrorist attacks throughout the year, Turkey of killing Muslim civilians, including prior to the 2018 New Year including children, and of collaborating celebrations. On 13 August 2017 a with the “enemies of Islam” in Syria. Turkish policeman was stabbed to Official IS publications featured death in Istanbul by an alleged IS pictures of Turkish soldiers killed in member. According to Turkish media, Syria. These included European nationals. carried out with unmanned aerial Iraq and Syria They were said to have surrendered vehicles (UAV) commonly known as with their husbands to Kurdish forces, drones.