Former British ambassador to Yemen Edmund Fitton-Brown has said that ISIS could make more jailbreak attempts in Syria and that the country's detention camps are a "ticking time bomb".
In a webinar focused on the terror threat to Europe, hosted by the Counter Extremism Project think tank, Mr Fitton-Brown revealed the risk presently posed by ISIS.
Following the group's attack on Syria's Al Sina prison, which lasted nine days and allowed for several terrorist fighters to escape, Mr Fitton-Brown said that this could happen again.
“The ISIS jail break gave it a significant propaganda boost and more jailbreak attempts should be expected, particularly in north-east Syria, and it is a jarring reminder of the precariousness of the holding arrangements in Syria,” he said.
He also raised concerns surrounding the detention of foreign terrorist fighters in camps and said international efforts to deal with the situation were “insufficient”, describing the situation as a “ticking time bomb”.
“ISIS and Al Qaeda might be weakened by a succession of leadership losses but member states still worry they will continue to exploit instability in Syria and Afghanistan,” Mr Fitton-Brown said.
“International efforts to address internally displaced camps and detention facilities in north-east Syria are still insufficient to address the seriousness of the issue.
“Besides the humanitarian issue, this is a ticking time bomb in security terms. There is a risk of thousands not having any chance of rehabilitation and creating a multiplying threat that will still be with us in 20 years.”
He also called for an investigation into British Al Qaeda cells financing fighters in Afghanistan.
“Al Shabab in Somalia is a financial hub for Al Qaeda and sends funds to Afghanistan via Yemen and there are cells in the UK,” he said.
“It is a matter that needs to be studied further. This is evolving information.”
Former European Union intelligence adviser Gerhard Conrad added during the event that terror attacks on tourists will increase and that the EU is working hard to protect its citizens.
“The external situation surrounding Europe is far more unsettled then the present situation in Europe itself,” he said.
“It’s not really good news. If we look at the situation in Afghanistan and North Africa, we have large, ungoverned spaces where they can really organise themselves.
“They are creating safe havens for themselves and for single, smaller, sub groups of terrorists that are not interested in fighting local or regional wars but are preparing themselves to fight against non-Muslims.”
He recalled how, in the early 2000s, attacks on hotels hosting tourists as well as sites in the West took place, and said “we should not overlook that risk, which is going to increase”.
“The EU is obliged to care for citizens abroad and are looking hard to understand it and prevent it in the countries concerned,” he said.
Security adviser Guido Steinberg said that ISIS-Khorasan Province is going to become the “biggest” threat in the years to come.
“ISIS-K in Mali and the neighbouring states have the potential to get into a leading position on the scene in the coming years,” he said.
“ISIS-K are looking to pose a great threat in the short to medium term in Afghanistan.
“It is influencing the Taliban to take a tougher line. It does not have external capabilities right now but has international ambitions. It is only due to the problem of reaching Afghanistan that is keeping international recruits from the West and Middle East from joining it.”
He added that the group could become the leading extremist organisation in the coming years.
“[ISIS-K] is trying to strengthen its numbers by recruiting members from other terrorist groups and attract disaffected terrorist fighters and disassociated local ethnic minorities,” he added.
“They are paid higher than the Taliban and this has created competition.”
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Honeymoonish
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass
Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
CREW
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ICC T20 Team of 2021
Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Review: Tomb Raider
Dir: Roar Uthaug
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Walter Goggins
two stars
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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