Tuesday 26 April 2016

Top US intelligence official says ISIS has cells in UK, Germany, and Italy that could carry out Paris or Brussels-style attack

  • Director Of National Intelligence James Clapper spoke to reporters in Washington, DC Monday
  • Confirmed ISIS was conducting underground activities in the UK, Germany and Italy
  • Said there was continued evidence of ISIS plotting in these countries
  • Barack Obama urged European countries to share information with each other to prevent other attacks
  • For more of the latest Islamic State news visit www.dailymail.co.uk/isis
By Clemence Michallon For Dailymail.com
Published: 04:44, 26 April 2016 | Updated: 13:08, 26 April 2016
ISIS has underground cells in the UK, Germany and Italy, a top US intelligence official told reporters on Monday.
James Clapper, the Director Of National Intelligence, spoke at a reporters' breakfast organized by the Christian Science Monitor in Washington, DC.
When asked whether ISIS had groups in the UK, Germany and Italy similar to those that carried out the Paris and Brussels attacks, Clapper replied: 'Yes they do.'
He added that intelligence officials continue to see evidence of plotting on the part of ISIS in these countries, the New York Times reported.

James Clapper (pictured in February 20120), the Director Of National Intelligence, spoke at a reporters' breakfast organized by the Christian Science Monitor in Washington, DC
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James Clapper (pictured in February 20120), the Director Of National Intelligence, spoke at a reporters' breakfast organized by the Christian Science Monitor in Washington, DC
Clapper became the country's top intelligence official in 2010, when Barack Obama named him to replace Dennis Blair. 
ISIS has pledged to attack these three countries, although experts say it is impossible to know where the terrorist group will hit next, the New York Times wrote.
Former French intelligence officer Claude Moniquet told the newspaper the UK and Germany were particularly concerned about a potential attack.
Hearing that ISIS is conducting activities in Germany, Italy and the UK is 'not new', Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy told CNN.
But Levitt added: 'It's new that Clapper is saying it.'
Obama urged European countries to 'do more' in the fight against ISIS during a speech in Hannover, Germany, on Monday.
'Right now, the most urgent threat to our nations is ISIL, and that’s why we’re united in our determination to destroy it,' the president said, calling ISIS by a different acronym. 'But this remains a difficult fight, and none of us can solve this problem by ourselves. Even as European countries make important contributions against ISIL, Europe, including NATO, can still do more.'
Clapper told reporters ISIS had groups similar to those who conducted the November 2015 Paris attacks (file picture) in the UK, Italy and Germany
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Clapper told reporters ISIS had groups similar to those who conducted the November 2015 Paris attacks (file picture) in the UK, Italy and Germany
Intelligence officials continue to receive evidence that ISIS is planning an attack in these countries, Clapper added. Pictured, the attacks at Brussels Airport last month
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Intelligence officials continue to receive evidence that ISIS is planning an attack in these countries, Clapper added. Pictured, the attacks at Brussels Airport last month
He urged more European countries to join the military intervention in Syria and Iraq.
France, the UK and the Netherlands have conducted strikes in Syria.
All three as well as Belgium and Denmark have struck Iraq. 
Obama also asked for more nations to help strengthen local forces in Iraq and to back the country economically to prevent the spread of extremism. 
'These terrorists are doing everything in their power to strike our cities and kill our citizens, so we need to do everything in our power to stop them. And that includes closing gaps so terrorists can’t pull off attacks like those in Paris and Brussels,' the president added. He then urged European countries to share more information with one another, which they do not usually do.
'If we truly value our liberty, then we have to take the steps that are necessary to share information and intelligence within Europe, as well as between the United States and Europe, to stop terrorists from traveling and crossing borders and killing innocent people,' Obama said.
He then reminded the crowd that the next NATO summit would take place this summer in Warsaw, Poland.

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