European police agency warns of terror attacks on soft targets

Islamic State extremists will keep attempting lethal attacks on soft targets in Europe as the militant group increasingly goes global.

Two months after suicide bombers and gunmen killed 130 people in Paris, the Europol agency said, “There is every reason to expect that IS, IS-inspired terrorists or another religiously inspired terrorist group will undertake a terrorist attack somewhere in Europe again, but particularly in France, intended to cause mass casualties among the civilian population.”

“Without reliable intelligence on the intentions, activities and contacts and travels of known terrorists it is nearly impossible to exactly predict when and where the next terrorist attack will take place, and what form it will take,” the Europol report said.

Expert reviews conducted by Europol concluded the Islamic State “is preparing more terrorist attacks,” including copycats of what’s known as the Mumbai method of coordinated bombings and shootings by multiple teams of assailants that claimed 164 lives in India’s financial capital in November 2008.