Nine suspected terrorist plotters were arrested in Germany and the Netherlands on Thursday accused of planning an ISIS-inspired attack.
The suspects come from former Soviet republics in Central Asia and some arrived in Germany from Ukraine after the outbreak of war, prosecutors said.
The group's alleged plans were deemed "serious enough to intervene" after intelligence agents took up the case.
Dutch police said one suspect, a 29-year-old from Tajikistan, was apparently "given the order to plot a terrorist attack". His Kyrgyz wife, 31, was also arrested.
German authorities said some suspects were in contact with ISIS-Khorasan Province, an affiliate of the terrorist group, and had transferred money to the militants.
The seven arrested in Germany "share a radical Islamic ideology" and formed a terrorist group "with the objective to commit headline-grabbing terrorist attacks in the spirit of ISIS", prosecutors said.
"For the purpose of executing their plan, the suspects had already contemplated targets in Germany, scouted potential crime scenes and attempted to procure weapons."
However, there was not yet a "tangible terrorist plot", authorities said.
At least seven of the suspects are said to have left Ukraine early last year. European countries relaxed border rules to allow mainly women and children to flee the war with Russia.
The G7 countries warned last autumn of a possible security threat from fighters leaving the battlefield in Ukraine.
The seven arrested in Germany were named as Ata A from Turkmenistan, Abrorjon K from Kyrgyzstan and five Tajik citizens Mukhammadshujo A, Nuriddin K, Shamshud N, Said S and Raboni Z.
The affiliate also known as ISIS-K is known for its activities in Central Asia, including in Afghanistan where it opposes the country's Taliban rulers.
Its alleged supporters formed a terrorist cell in Germany in June last year and some had been collecting funds for ISIS since April, authorities claim.
The couple arrested in the Netherlands have yet to be identified. The woman is suspected of preparing terrorist offences but not of being an ISIS member.
The German arrests took place in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia near the Dutch border. All seven men are suspected of supporting ISIS and forming a terrorist organisation.
Judges are expected to decide by Friday whether the group will be held in custody.
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Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology
Size: 21 employees
Funding: $7 million
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Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
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1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
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Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
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Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
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- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
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- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
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Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards by claiming to be the victim, often pretending their phone has been lost or stolen in order to secure a new Sim.
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
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Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
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Ways to control drones
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
