Seoul’s intelligence services (National Intelligence Service – NIS) announced Sunday that the Islamic State terror group has released information regarding U.S. Air Force installations in South Korea as well as South Korean citizens as targets for attack.
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Two South Korean provinces of Islamic State’s focus are Gyeonggi (Osan and Suwon U.S. Air Base) and North Jeolla (Kunsan U.S. Air Base). In a press release, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said that the group incited terrorist attacks against them through Telegram, a messaging service, and revealed location data of 77 Air Force installations of the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and of individuals in 21 countries.
The intelligence agency added that South Korean authorities have taken all necessary steps to protect the country from such attacks in collaboration with the armed forces and the US military. Islamic State has already issued threats against South Korea for being an ally of the US. Islamic State obtained the location data from its own hacking group, named the “United Cyber Caliphate,” the spy agency explained.
“While disseminating the location data of the installations and information on the individuals, (the group) incited (its sympathizers around the world) to retaliate for the benefit of Muslims,” the NIS said.
The South Korean Army has intensified its anti-terrorist preparations in recent months and deported around 50 foreign nationals over the past five years for alleged links with terrorist outfits. Two South Koreans have also been arrested for allegedly trying to join terrorist organizations.
“The government will make all-out efforts to protect the lives and properties of our citizens from terrorist threats while keeping close tabs on the movements of international terrorist groups,” an NIS official said, declining to be named.
Is this a sign that Islamic State is getting desperate or was this just part of their bigger plan all along to wreak havoc on a global scale? Sound off in the comments below.
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