European police body warns Iran crisis raises threat of terror, extremism and cyberattacks

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MADRID – The Middle East conflict will have “immediate repercussions” for European Union (EU) security with an increased threat of terrorism, serious and organised crime as well as violent extremism and cyberattacks, European police body Europol told Spanish news agency EFE on March 5.

Europol spokesman Jan Op Gen Oorth said he expected to see more cyberattacks against European infrastructure and an increase in online fraud using increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence and exploiting the flurry of information swirling about the conflict online, EFE reported.

Groups linked to Iran could seek to carry out “destabilising activities” within the EU, he added, referring to groups linked to the so-called Axis of Resistance, the network of anti-American and anti-Israeli militias in countries including Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. These could include terrorist attacks, intimidation campaigns, terrorist financing and cybercrime.

“The level of terrorist threat and violent extremism in EU territory is considered high,” he told the news agency.

The terror threat could be heightened by individuals acting alone or small cells acting on their own initiative, he said.

“The rapid spread of polarising content on the internet can accelerate short-term radicalisation processes among diaspora communities within the EU and other individuals,” he added.

Iran and Israel on March 5 were exchanging fire on a sixth day of war after Israel and the United States launched joint air strikes on Iran on the weekend.

So far, the attacks have killed more than 1,000 people including Iran’s Supreme Leader, prompting it to attack neighbours including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates along with energy shipments. REUTERS