New report asks Europe to ‘get prepared’ for ISIS chemical attack

The European Union and its Member States should prepare for a possible biological or chemical attack on its territory, according to a recent report.

The report says, according to experts, Islamic State may be planning to use internationally banned weapons of mass destruction in Europe. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned earlier in November that ISIS might launch a chemical or bacteriological attack on France.

The report says a chemical attack in Europe can be quite “destabilising” since nobody may be expecting it. “At present, European citizens are not seriously contemplating the possibility that extremist groups might use chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) materials during attacks in Europe,” the report says. “Under these circumstances, the impact of such an attack, should it occur, would be even more destabilising.”

“European governments and EU institutions need to be on alert, and should consider publicly addressing the possibility of a terrorist attack using chemical, biological, radiological or even nuclear materials,” the report adds.

While EU institutions have been working on preventing a possible chemical attack on European soil, there are “some gaps,” the report says. The loopholes particularly lie in sharing information among Member States.

The briefing notes that ISIS announced shortly after it claimed the Paris terror attacks on Nov. 13 that there would be further attacks in European countries like Belgium. The extremist organisation named Rome and London among specific targets. Additionally, it also mentioned about a potential attack in Washington DC.

“We are dealing with a very serious, well -resourced, determined international terrorist organisation that is now active on the streets of Europe,” Europol Head Rob Wainwright said as he mentioned that ISIS had managed to bring “its brutal brand of terrorism to Europe.”

The report notes that ISIS is documented to have used chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq.

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