Despite major defeats in Syria and Iraq, ISIS still remains the greatest threat to security and stability in the world. The terrorists have switched recently to single hostile activities and heinous acts of terror in the EU and throughout Asia.
Social media became quite a good platform for ISIS recruiters to disseminate and spread information on the guidelines for ‘lone wolves’. Brainwashers urge them to organize and commit terrorist attacks in cities, social gathering places during public events and Christian holidays.
Major sporting events facilities are also a prior target for the jihadists. According to the Sun, ISIS radicals were planning to carry out attacks during the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games. The masterminds posted the step-by-step guide, which includes 17 different attack methods, on social network Telegram. The terrorists awaited the hostile activities to be implemented by the experienced militants as well as common people willing to swear allegiance to ISIS.
According to Mustaqila Press Agency, quite an interesting information has appeared recently on ISIS-supporters discussing via Telegram channels how to organize attacks on Olympic sites in South Korea. For its part, a year ago official Seoul claimed terror threat would rise. On June 19, 2016, the Yonhap news agency with the reference to the national intelligence service of South Korea reported on a series of attacks aimed at various military and government facilities. The intelligence sources said, not only the Koreans would be in danger but also the people of other states.
PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games venues seem to be the main ISIS targets in the near future. While losing control over territories and energy resources in Syria and Iraq with every passing day, the radicals are trying to increase their credibility by organizing attacks, which could lead to numerous human casualties.
At the same time, the level of 2018 sports events’ attendance is in question. Currently, just only one-third of tickets have been sold. Most likely, the main reasons are the terrorist attacks’ threats and provocations from North Korea.
A number of European countries are considering the security measures at the Olympic Games in PyeongChang. France’s Winter Olympics team will not go to the 2018 Games in South Korea if its security cannot be guaranteed, France’s sports minister, Laura Flessel said on September 21, 2017. The more so, British Olympic leaders have plans in place to evacuate athletes from the 2018 Pyeongchang Games amid terrorist and nuclear threats.
The 2018 Olympic Games would be attended by sports fans from more than 80 countries. Ensuring security of such a number of people will become a serious challenge for the special security services and interior ministry of South Korea. People should realize that the trip to PyeongChang is quite dangerous, as, for someone, it will be a festival of sport, and for the terrorists, it would be a festival of violence.
