ISIS extremists have published "detailed" manuals for adapting drones to attack the Paris Olympics, a counter-terrorism expert has told The National
Matt Mooney believes there is a “moderately high” probability that there will be a drone attack using a home-made bomb during this summer's games.
The former US Department of Homeland Security official said the threat to Paris from drones is part of a “drumbeat of violence” being directed against sporting events, including the European football championship and cricket’s T20 World Cup.
This effort is “almost certain” to result in ISIS supporters trying or plotting to conduct “low-sophistication, lone-actor attacks" on the Olympics, said Mr Mooney, now with the Recorded Future threat intelligence company.
With the French authorities increasing security in Paris, a mass casualty attack on the scale seen in 2015, when ISIS killed 130 people at the Bataclan concert hall and other targets, is unlikely, he said.
Instead, ISIS and other extremists are producing “attack manuals” to help their followers adapt drones to carry explosive devices.
Mr Mooney gave an example of one that Recorded Future analysts came across.
“What we observed was [an ISIS] supporter, so not an official element of the … media apparatus, but someone who's active in their forums, who produced a relatively detailed analysis,” he told The National
“It focused on the commercially available drones and provided analysis on the types of drones that we can use and look to purchase."
While the manual itself "was less than 10 pages long", what "was notable [was] the level of detail the individual brought to it", said Mr Mooney.
He said there has been an increase in the circulation of material by extremists threatening sporting events taking place this year.
In particular, the branch of ISIS based in Afghanistan’s Khorasan Province, known as ISIS-K, is keen to demonstrate its ability to carry out attacks abroad.
“So you are having this sort of drumbeat of violence being directed against the sporting venues,” Mr Mooney said.
“When you have a prominent [ISIS] supporter publishing a manual on adopting drones for IED delivery, it’s certainly concerning.”
There are an estimated three million drones in France, many of them privately owned, and the police and the Interior Ministry said they are working hard to prevent any unauthorised flights over the capital.
In the lead-up to the games, an anti-drone co-ordination centre has been set up at a military base at Villacoublay, just outside Paris, where police, gendarmerie and army officers will work together to contain threats.
Officers will monitor air traffic during the Olympics to identify drones, either with radar or pictures sent by officers on the ground at the Olympic sites.
Anti-drone officers will use a UK-developed shoulder-mounted device, called SkyWall Patrol, which can fire a net high into the air, trapping any drones hovering above the French capital.
French authorities have placed technology at the heart of their security operation, including the use of artificial intelligence.
Four companies – Videtics, Orange Business, ChapsVision and Wintics – have developed AI software that analyses video streams coming from existing surveillance systems to help identify threats in public spaces.
Their algorithms are trained to detect predetermined “events” or abnormal behaviour and send alerts accordingly. Humans then decide if the alert is real and whether to act on it.
Mr Mooney told a conference on the threats that his “biggest concern” was that the opening ceremony of the games was particularly vulnerable as it will be held on the River Seine in central Paris, rather in the Olympic stadium, as is traditional.
“It's important to recognise the 2024 Paris Olympics very likely represent the most challenging physical security threat landscape for an Olympic Games since it was held in London 12 years ago,” he said.
“These games will take place in a major world capital ... with a population of 11 million people, which has been repeatedly targeted by international terrorist groups and homegrown violent extremists over the last decade.”
He said the arrest of a Chechen over a plan to attack a football stadium that will be used during this summer's Olympic Games was a worrying sign that extremists are plotting attacks.
Mr Mooney said Recorded Future has been analysing application channels and private forums used by terrorist supporters.
As a result he believes: “It's almost certain that [ISIS] and to a lesser extent Al Qaeda are actively plotting or seeking to incite attacks targeting the Paris Olympics."
More on Quran memorisation:
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
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The Breadwinner
Director: Nora Twomey
Starring: Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq
Three stars
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
