By Athena Papakosta

His presence Islamic State (ISIS) it may have appeared weakened in Iraq and Syria but, officials believe, the jihadist group has been planning new attacks in the West for several years.

After about five years, an alarm has been sounded in European countries with the authorities remaining vigilant for fear of new terrorist attacks. Cause stood the attack on the Crocus Music Hall, in Moscow, last Friday night, with more than 140 dead. After all, it was the deadliest attack that took place on European soil in recent years.

In an extensive article, the British newspaper “The Guardian” highlights how Western officials who study ISIS in Iraq and Syria explain that the organization may have abandoned the plan to rebuild the so-called caliphate, but successful strikes in an international environment are considered important for the morale of its members, the reputation of the organization itself, while compensating for the recorded losses at their headquarters.

Source of “life” of the jihadist organizations are its regional partners, with would-be extremists to be found in Central Asia. According to analysts, these are Muslims who are facing persecution in their own country.

The attack in Moscow appears to be the result of the actions of the Islamic State in Khorasan (ISIS-K or ISKP), the Afghan arm of ISIS. After all, the ISIS branch made sure to take responsibility in time, while the United States has reached the same conclusion.

The Islamic State in Khorasan was founded in 2015 with its propaganda aimed directly at the heart of central Asia, while in the past it has attempted to recruit members from Europe and Russia as well. Turkey is not absent from his “compass” as a field of recruitment and action, while the four suspected perpetrators of the attack in the Russian capital – who were presented to the court with obvious signs of abuse – are from Tajikistan.

“The Guardian” notes that the West still needs to answer the crucial question of how close the ties are between the extremist satellites and its central administration.

For example, evidence collected from Sub-Saharan Africa suggests that the central administration is in close communication with its regional “partners” by setting up advanced communication networks.

A source of concern, however, is the fact that the campaign against ISIS in Syria and Iraq had depended heavily on the fact that the United States and other foreign powers had their forces there. This is not the case in Afghanistan – despite the fact that the Taliban have, time and again, tried to eliminate ISIS-K by launching successive attacks against it.

At the same time, ISIS has attempted to take advantage of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip to mobilize and thereby radicalize new members in order to succeed in launching attacks against civilians on foreign soil.

In more detail, last fall, with its message, the Islamic State had called for strikes against Jews wherever they are, urging them to “emphasize” North America and Europe.

Last night not with a message that was posted on Telegram a representative of the Islamist organization repeated the call for attacks by calling on his supporters to target “crusaders” everywhere, especially in the United States, Europe and Israel.