ISIS to target Italian, French & Spanish beach resorts – report

Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) is planning terrorist attacks on resorts in southern Europe, including in France, Italy and Spain, a report says, adding that suicide bombers are expected to be disguised as beach vendors.

German Federal Intelligence Service was informed by the Italian intelligence about a threat in European resorts by ISIS, Das Bild newspaper said. The information about the coming attacks was reportedly received from Africa.

The report speculates the potential attackers could mostly come from Senegal, where the Boko Haram terrorist group, which pledged loyalty to IS in 2015, is active.

According to the information, the extremists are expected to be dressed as vendors at the European resorts, selling things like sunglasses, drinks and ice cream.

The militants are going to use automatic weapons or explosive devices in their attacks, the report states. Their bombs may be buried under sunbeds at the resorts.

READ MORE: Most European ISIS fighters come from France, Germany, UK – study

"It could be a new dimension of terror from ISIS… The holiday beaches are hard to protect...” the paper cited a German high-ranking official as saying.

Later, Italian intelligence sources told La Repubblica newspaper that they don’t have any information on a “specific terrorist threat" to the country.

In June 2015, a gunman allegedly linked to IS opened fire on the beach at the popular Tunisian resort area of Sousse. At least 38 people were killed and dozens injured in the attack. Sousse attracts tourists from Europe as well as neighboring countries.

In March this year, an IS-staged attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, claimed at least 22 lives. The attackers had massive bombs strapped to their bodies.