Is ’ISIS’ Planning Chemical Attack against US?

Local Editor

Ronen Bergman wrote for ynetnews.com that American and European intelligence chiefs reported that "ISIS" is manufacturing chemical weapons on an industrial scale, and have already used WMDs "numerous times" in Iraq and Syria.

Relatively, US National Intelligence director James Clapper told a panel of intelligence heads at the latest Munich Security Conference that "ISIS" has already used chemical weapons "numerous times," and is planning to carry out a chemical attack against the United States.

For his part, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who spoke at the same conference, was convinced that "ISIS" will conduct another "large scale attack" on Europe.

Clapper further stated that the group was manufacturing chemical weapons on an industrial scale, noting the CIA has evidence of the use of chemical weapons for the first time by a terrorist group since the 1995 Sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway.

Clapper presented his audience, which was comprised of high ranking political officials and intelligence heads from around the world, with several disturbing facts: according to US intelligence, seven countries are in danger of collapsing because of the presence of terror organizations - chief amongst them "ISIS" - while 59 other countries are considered highly unstable. Volunteers are travelling to fight in Syria and Iraq from no less than "120 different countries," and many may return home.

In a similar context, head of British GCHQ, Robert Hannigan, noted that "these new militants are educated young people who grew up in the West," and that with the knowledge and training they received in Western countries, they have been able to turn "ISIS" into the most advanced terrorist organization the world has ever seen.

""ISIS" is constantly learning from its mistakes," Hannigan continued, adding that the group's operatives use the internet not only to spread propaganda and recruit fighters, but also to carry out destructive cyber-attacks. "They are not there yet, but they will be soon," he added.

In turn, head of Dutch intelligence, Robert Bertholee, highlighted the fact that 250 people joined "ISIS" from his country, a number which doesn't even include 70 children.

The intelligence heads also revealed on the panel that "ISIS" is attempting to get its hands on advanced encryption software in order to prevent intelligence agencies from following them. Hannigan proclaimed that while British intelligence doesn't enter through "back doors" in the encryption software of private British companies, he is requesting that legislation be changed on this subject. Clapper said that the encryption software available for public consumption is "the thing that worries me the most."

Source: ynetnews.com, Edited by website team