ISIS suspect arrested near Euro 2024 host city where Scotland are due to play

A man suspected of being an ISIS “sleeper agent” has been arrested close to a Euro 2024 host city in Germany where Scotland are to play in a matter of days.

The man, identified as an Iraqi called Mahmoud A, has been arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg shortly after security officials warned of the threat of an extremist attack during Euro 2024, reports the Mirror.

The suspect was detained in the town of Esslingen, near Stuttgart, where Scotland play Hungary on Sunday night, June 23.

He is said to have gone to Germany in October 2022, but police believe he has been affiliated to ISIS since 2016.

The arrest took place just hours before Germany played Hungary in their second group game of Euro 2024 on Wednesday.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the arrest showed Germany’s commitment to eradicating the threat from ISIS saying: “Our security authorities are extremely vigilant, follow every tip-off and strike hard to protect our country.”

At a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday, Germany’s interior ministry had warned the country was “in the crosshairs of jihadist organisations, in particular ISIS and ISIS-K.”

Officials said the danger of Islamist terrorism had increased since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 and the ensuing war in Gaza.

The intelligence chief revealed the organisation had been urging its members to carry out mass terror attacks on “soft targets” in Europe. He also emphasised that so-called “lone wolves” continued to pose one of the biggest threats to public security.

Germany has deployed 22,000 police officers to reinforce border, railway and airport security for the duration of the four-week tournament. Berlin has also drafted in officers from overseas, to help keep fans safe.

Authorities have dismantled an ISIS-linked propaganda network known for attempting to incite terror attacks on cities hosting Euro 2024. Spanish police have conducted a series of nationwide arrests after uncovering a multimedia service called I’LAM Foundation, identified as a mouthpiece for the Islamic State. The platform is accused of calling for attacks on the Euros in Germany, as well as targeting Real Madrid footballers, their supporters, and the upcoming Paris Olympics.

The posters, written in English, depicted an armed soldier with the captions “Where do you want?” and “Score the final goal!” They suggested three possible locations: Munich, Dortmund, and Berlin—the latter being the host city for the final on July 14. An extensive investigation, involving collaboration with Europol, the FBI, and law enforcement agencies from the Netherlands, Germany, France, Estonia, Romania, and Iceland, led to the arrest of nine individuals in Girona, Cadiz, Almeria, and Tenerife.

Investigators uncovered a wealth of radical content in over 30 languages distributed by the I’LAM Foundation. The network reportedly provided specific instructions on how to launch an attack on the Real Madrid squad.

One chilling poster depicted a hooded assailant with a scoped rifle and the message: “My dear Muwahhid brother. Wait at a place near the players’ point of arrival. Target them along with their fans.”

Another poster, referring to the Bernabeu Stadium, instructed: “My dear brother in Al-Andalus. A very valuable target awaits you. Break into the crowds, distract security with improvised explosives and decoy devices, and advance towards your main target with determination.”

Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.