Three terrorist attacks in different parts of the world, including France where one was decapitated; Tunisia where 28 died in an attack on a tourist resort; and Kuwait where deadly explosion at a Shia mosque maimed 25 devotees, on the second Friday of Ramzan, show that ISIS — the West Asian terrorist group — is increasing its footprints.
In France, at least one suspected Islamist launched a daylight raid on an industrial gas factory and pinned a severed head to the gates, in what President Francois Hollande — cutting short an EU summit to chair emergency meetings in the French capital — called a “terrorist” attack. In Kuwait a deadly explosion ripped through a Shia mosque in a busy neighborhood of the city’s Capital after Friday prayers killing 25 people and injuring many, witnesses said. The ISIS-affiliated group in Saudi Arabia, calling itself Najd Province, said militant Abu Suleiman al-Muwahhid carried out the attack on the mosque, which it claimed was spreading Shia teachings among Sunni Muslims.
In Tunisia at least 28 people, including foreigners, were killed in a mass shooting at a beach resort packed with holidaymakers, in the North African country’s worst attack in recent history.French President Hollande said a vehicle driven at high speed by “one person, maybe accompanied by another” smashed into the factory owned by American group Air Products, about 40 kilometres from lyon. The suspect set off several small explosive devices, sources close to the investigation said, with at least two people hurt in the assault. Police said it was unclear whether the attacker was acting alone, or had accomplices.
A grim-faced Hollande called for “solidarity” for the victim, who was found with Arabic inscriptions on him. The bloody discovery of the decapitated head is thought to be the first instance in France of a beheading during an attack — which has become a trademark of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
“There was a decapitated body with inscriptions,” said Hollande, although sources close to the enquiry said it was not clear whether the victim was transported to the site or whether the beheading was carried out at the factory. “A flag with Arabic writing on it was found at the scene,” said Cazeneuve, adding that the text was being translated.
The 35-year-old attacker, identified as Yassin Salhi, had been known to security services for a number of years but did not have a criminal record, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. Salhi and his wife have been taken into custody and an anti-terrorist probe has been launched In France the gruesome killing came nearly six months after the Islamist attacks in and around Paris that left 17 people dead and started with a shooting at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
For months, Europe has been on high-alert for so-called “lone wolf” attacks that are very difficult to prevent after Islamic State fighters urged supporters to carry out assaults wherever they could.