Three ISIS operatives were arrested Tuesday in Germany for their connection with a planned attack in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. The individuals claimed that they were Syrian members of ISIS.
ISIS has publicly stated that they have used the mass exodus of Syrian refugees as cover to move operatives into Europe and beyond….
While the terror group has established a strong network of smugglers, forged document specialists and other individuals to assist with the clandestine movement of fighters, fears continue to grow that ISIS is able to move more freely with the escalating refugee crisis. Germany took in over 2 million immigrants last year, and ISIS has publicly stated that they have used the mass exodus of Syrian refugees as cover to move operatives into Europe and beyond. While it is not clear whether the three individuals arrested utilized this cover or not, the concern for additional attacks is certainly legitimized.
Meanwhile in the United States, despite steady political pushback from the GOP, President Obama exceeded his goal of refugee admission, as the United States has currently accepted 11,491 Syrians. Ninety percent of those admitted are Sunni, with only a small percentage being Christian. With already overwhelmed intelligence and law enforcement communities, the concern of many is how to track and monitor these refugees, their contacts and more importantly, their motivations. While the vast majority are very likely peace-seeking individuals, who have been through so much, the probability of there being extremists mixed in the group is high.
By a Senior OpsLens Contributor
