Polish Internal Security Agency #ABW have detained on May 7 four 4 #Tajiks on charges of attempting to recruit Muslim converts to carry out militant attacks. The suspects were inspired by the #IslamicState terrorist organization but are not members of the group.
This is another terrorist plot in Europe with citizens of Tajikistan in recent days. On April 15 German authorities detained 5 Tajiks suspected of forming an IS cell plotting attacks in #Germany.
Two individuals in this Tajik cell in Germany were alleged to have traveled to Albania with plans to carry out a contract killing. Around two weeks later, authorities in Albania said they arrested a Tajik citizen sought by Germany for suspected membership in an IS cell.
Last years, #IS cells/groups in Europe frequently has been run by citizens of #CentralAsia states. They also perpetrated some big terror attacks, like Istanbul nightclub shooting (2017), Saint Petersburg Metro bombing (2017) or 2017 Stockholm truck attack (2017).
This is also not first case of using #Poland territory as a pit-stop in terrorist activities. Perpetrator of #Stockholm truck attack in 2017 - Uzbek Rakhmat Akilov - directly before moving to Sweden, was living and working for a while in Gdańsk.
In 2018 #ABW detained Moroccan - Mourad T. - responsible for intelligence and logistics operations of #IS cells in Europe, with connections to Abdelhamid Abbaoud, reponsible for Paris attacks in 2015, using polish territory as a "safe heaven".
People from Central Asia are frequently used by terrorist organizations like #IS as a cannon fodder or people doing uncomfortable tasks, or someone to blend in with the crowd. The main channels of recruitment are still in Russia, due to big labour migration from this region.
In 2015, together with @Anna_M_Dyner and @KacperRekawek we prepared a paper on perspectives of #IS expansion to Central Asia, mobilisation of foreign fighters from this region to #Syria and #Iraq and pathways of their radicalistion and recruitment. pism.pl/publications/R…
The potential for #radicalisation in #CentralAsia will rise due to upcomming economic crisis (post-#COVID19 consequence) #Russia market collapse for migrants from Central Asia. I predict the similar scale of mobilization like after 2014-also crisis in Russian and regional economy
Then they went mainly to #Syria and #Iraq as #Foreign #Fighters. Some of them went to #Ukraine as Russia-backed mercenaries (low numbers but anyway). This time they will go to other ongoing conflicts (#Syria #Libya), join (mainly russian) #PMCs, but also expect them in Europe.
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