The Information Service of the Civil Guard, in collaboration with Europol and the US FBI, last week dismantled the self-proclaimed I’lam Foundation, one of the main propaganda networks associated with the Islamic State or Daesh. The investigation, directed by the Central Investigative Court number 1 of the National Court, had the collaboration of the authorities of the Netherlands, Germany, France, Estonia, Romania and Iceland. The Civil Guard arrested nine people in Salt (Girona), Algeciras (Cádiz), Anta (Almería) and Tenerife, with two of those detained in provisional prison, according to what was announced The confidential.
This media outlet published this Monday that the dismantled group had instigated its followers to carry out attacks against the bus of the Real Madrid footballers and their fans, as well as the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. “My dear brother. Wait in a place close to the players’ arrival point. Target them along with their followers”, a poster was requested in which a hooded man is seen opening fire with a rifle.
In a second message, also published by the aforementioned newspaper, he pointed directly to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. “My dear brother in Al-Andalus. A very valuable objective awaits you. Break into crowds, distract security with improvised explosives and decoy devices and move towards your main objective with determination,” it said.
In addition, attacks were promoted at the Men’s Soccer Euro Cup in Germany and the Paris Olympic Games. Regarding the first of them, a design was found of a soldier with his back turned holding a rifle and at the top it read “Where do you want?“, in reference to the three possible cities in which an attack could be carried out: Berlin, Munich and Dortmund. “Score the last goal!” the poster also said.
Regarding the Paris Olympic Games, a poster has been discovered showing the Eiffel Tower and hands operating the controls of a drone. “The Lone Wolf Olympics have begunwith the will of Allah”, can be read in the montage made.
Sources of Europol and the FBI They highlighted that the propaganda capacity of the Islamic State in a critical period for European security, by taking down dozens of servers of the I’lam Foundation and its related entities.
A portal under the umbrella of the I’lam Foundation, Voice of Al-Andalus, was dedicated to transmitting propaganda aimed at Muslims in Spain who do not speak Arabic. The researchers also identified other platforms controlled by this network, such as Al Raud and Fahraswhich had thousands of users.
The seized material included guides for turning Muslims into “lone wolves” and documents that defended the spread of radical messages as a key responsibility of “jihadist media soldiers.”
The authorities stressed that this joint operation sought to interrupt the connection of the Islamic State with potential terrorists in numerous countries, neutralizing the distribution of jihadist content.
