On Monday night, two Islamic State propaganda outlets threatened to carry out terrorist attacks targeting the Champions League quarter-final games set to begin this Tuesday in Madrid and London.
The Al-Azaim Foundation and Sarh al-Khilafah, identified as ISIS propaganda outlets by Spain's ABC newspaper, shared several widely disseminated images on social media showing alleged terrorists threatening the Champions League games.
🔴 Medios afines al Estado Islámico avisan de ataques terroristas durante los cuartos de final de la Champions https://t.co/AsTKJH3Us5
— ABC.es (@abc_es) April 8, 2024
This Tuesday, the first game between Real Madrid and Manchester City will be played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. The Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich game will be played at the Emirates Stadium in London.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Atlético de Madrid will host Borussia Dortmund at the Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid and PSG will do the same with FC Barcelona at the Parc des Princes in Paris. These three European cities have received terrorist threats.
One of the most disturbing images shows a terrorist whose face is covered holding an AK47 Kalashnikov rifle. The image includes the names of the four stadiums that will host the games along with the phrase "Kill Them All.”
According to ABC, the Islamic State's threats have the authorities on alert, “who were already warned and had reinforced the security of European countries that could be targets of terrorists, who already demonstrated their capacity with the attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow."
According to the Spanish outlet, the Al-Azaim Foundation is considered one of the speakers of Khorasan, the radical jihadist wing that claimed responsibility for the attack against Crocus City Hall.
These types of intimidation tactics that target major sporting events have become common. For example, at the end of March, German authorities went on high alert after a terrorist threat targeted the Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich game played last weekend in Germany.
