Almost 350 pieces of ISIS and Al Qaeda online propaganda in Eastern European languages have been discovered in a day of targeted action in the Balkans.
Experts have repeatedly warned that ISIS is looking to the Western Balkan bloc as it attempts to regroup and attract new recruits.
The crime agency Europol’s specialist online abuse branch, the EU Internet Referral Unit (EU IRU), said Tuesday it carried out a day of action focused on bringing down terrorist propaganda in Western Balkan partner countries.
“The referral action targeted online content disseminated by members and supporters of Al Qaeda, ISIS and affiliated groups,” the EU IRU said in a statement.
“The counter terrorism units from the participating countries, together with the EU IRU, looked into jihadist propaganda material, such as video tutorials, nashids and social media accounts, which incited violence.
“The content was spread in the languages of the Western Balkan countries mainly by local supporters of the targeted jihadist organisations.”
In total, the investigation uncovered 346 pieces of propaganda on 27 different media platforms.
Specialist units from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia participated in the action day.
The material has been examined by Europol and referred to the relevant online service providers for removal.
“Terrorists’ use of the internet and social media has increased enormously over the course of recent years,” the EU IRU said.
“Jihadist groups, in particular, have demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of how social networks operate and have launched well-organised, concerted social media campaigns to recruit followers and to promote or glorify acts of terrorism and violent extremism.
“As this is a problem that spans multiple linguistic audiences and jurisdictions, a common EU response was necessary, hence the establishment of the EU IRU in 2015.”
Since it was set up, the EU IRU has assessed more than 42,000 pieces of terror content.
It resulted in 86 per cent of the articles been removed.
The EU IRU has been working closely with social media platform Telegram, which has been ISIS’ primary platform following the closure of its accounts on Twitter and Facebook.
Earlier this week, terrorism expert Pieter van Ostaeyen warned migrant routes across the Balkans were likely to be used by terror groups again.
The migrant crisis was exploited by ISIS five years ago as it sought to move terrorists from Syria around Europe and recruit asylum seekers to fight for its cause.
It is now feared that the terrorist groups will again use these well-trodden paths for recruitment drives.
Hungary’s centre for counter-terrorism has previously revealed that terrorists set up logistics hubs in the country to use paths through the Balkans, moving fighters trained in Syria into Europe.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
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Scotland 54-17 Fiji
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