A couple of weeks ago, the Islamic State released a video with a statement uttered in Arabic that “If it was Paris yesterday, and today Brussels, Allah knows where it will be tomorrow. Maybe it will be in London or Berlin or Rome.”
The video comes just weeks after the #Islamic State claimed responsibility for multiple bombings that rocked the Brussels airport and subway, killing at least 31 people and wounding hundreds of others.
Those bombings, in turn, came roughly a year after the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris, and just months after the November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks. This is just the beginning of an ISIS terror wave.
So, here are seven targets ISIS or other terrorist groups could strike next according to my research. ISIS also Targets civilians and government personnel or buildings. Their intent is to strike fear; fast and furious to create the most body counts as possible.
In the wake of the Paris, Brussels, London, New York attacks, where is ISIS looking to strike next?
New York City — Manhattan has long been a target for terrorists around the globe, and the World Trade Center was attacked in 1993 and on Sept. 11, 2001. If SIS wanted to make the largest impact to date, that opportunity would arise in Manhattan’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve and Rockefeller Plaza/5th Avenue with suicide bombings or terrorists in trucks.
Cruise ships — Islamic State’s spread into Libya had cast an ‘uncomfortable shadow’ over the sea. IS terror groups are attempting to build a navy to wage war against the West. A devastating opportunity, is ISIS ability to create a very high quality weapons system that could be used to hit ships crossing the sea, having extraordinary implications for the Western World.
Shopping Malls/Areas — We have already witnessed ISIS terror and destruction of life in several countries. Frankly, I am shocked that ISIS has not selected a venue where thousands of unsuspecting cramped shoppers are prime Targets and locations where they would seek out the highest body count. There is no trained ‘Mall Cops’ to thwart such an epic disaster.
Airplanes — Al-Qaida has issued warnings that it now has developed bombs that are completely undetectable — that don’t use metal and have non-detectable explosives — and could likely bypass airport security. It’s likely that if one terrorist organization has access to such weapons, ISIS won’t be far behind and the touchy feely TSA Agents are not equipped mentally and certainly not physically.
Churches and synagogues — On Nov. 18, 2014, two Muslim men attacked Jewish worshipers at the Kehilat Bnei Torah synagogue in Jerusalem. Wielding axes and guns, they killed four. It was one of many terror attacks on houses of worship through the years. You can count that ISIS has houses of worship on their bucket list.
Public Venues — Locations where people engage en masse. Since 1955, more than 600 million guests have visited the Disneyland Resort – that’s almost double the current population of the US. In 2015, Disneyland attracted 17 million visitors (an average of 44,000 per day) and Disney California Adventure pulled in 7.8 million visitors (an average of 21,000 per day. Terrorists could easily go undetected in this 85-acre park.
Schools — Terror groups regularly train to attack schools. In 2014, school children were abducted by militant Islamist group leader Boko Haram in Nigeria, and 140 school children were killed by terrorists in Peshawar in north-west Pakistan. In early 2015, the BBC reported that, “Terror attacks on schools and colleges around the world have risen to higher levels than at any point in more than 40 years, according to a long-term analysis of global terrorism.” Leveling an attack on any school, especially one with younger children would give rise to ISIS/ISIL applause.
You may or may not know/care, but ISIS has recently released another “kill list.” (The last one really worked out well for them, I might add.) However, as a result of this new list, several cities have been put at a higher state of readiness.
That got me thinking. First of all, publishing a list of any sort is IO/PSYOP 101 (i.e. remedial). Not following through with that list retrogrades any possible psychological ground that may have been gained through that information operation, and forgoes any time that might have been bought. Beyond that, the perpetrator puts at risk any “street cred” that may have been gained through their previous “kinetic” operations. As in, you start listing off targets—installations, personnel, etc.—and then not follow through on a single one of them, and you look pretty inept.
The most likely target locations for ISIS in the next coming weeks are most Orlando, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Miami and San Francisco. Criminal elements within the US federal government continue to allow terrorists to flow into the country while tying the hands of our military and intelligence agencies to do anything about it. Why are they allowing terrorists to flood into America? Why is Obama allowing Syrian refugees to flood into this nation? Actors from ISIS or allegiances are entering into the United States, Italy, France and other countries and once they have boots on the ground, they are enacting orders from Allah to reign down terror and become martyrs for Jihad.
Is it already is too late to stop the bloodshed? How many more Americans will be killed by terrorists that Obama is simply allowing to flood into the country with his wide open borders? Should Obama himself be held responsible for allowing terrorists to flood into our country through open doors? Yes, he is weak and leads by example. Long gone are the days when we once monitored immigration and had a security protocol. For some time, the U.S. government has turned a blind eye and left the door wide open. The sanctuary of the world! You have to weigh diplomacy with risk.
Why does Mr. Obama continue to allow terrorists into the country? We have to ask again; should Obama be held responsible for the massacre in Orlando due to his absolutely insane policies of allowing terrorists free reign to come into the country? Why hasn’t the military yet relieved Mr. Obama of his command due to what is an obvious policy of enabling Americans to be slaughtered by those who want to terrorize us? One more question that everybody is asking right now except the mainstream media; why are Mr. Obama and other politicians now focused on taking away the 2nd Amendment of law-abiding American citizens when the 2nd Amendment may be the only thing that can put a stop to all of the terrorists that he has allowed into the country? The answer is evident.
Terrorist attacks will increase as ISIS loses its grip in the Middle East. We are seeing that right now with the Syrian military who has retaken the key city of Aleppo. Rebel forces have lost control of their last enclave in the strategic city as President Bashar al-Assad troops captured their biggest battle prize in more than 5 years of war.
Be vigilant and safe throughout this holiday season.
About the author: Scott Bernstein is the CEO of Global Security International LLC headquartered in NYC. He has extensive experience as a Counter Terrorist Consultant, International Apprehension Operative, Human & Sex Trafficking Expert and a Military and Law Enforcement Trainer. He is available as a Consultant, Expert Witness and as a Speaker. In addition to his LinkedIn profile, you can also interact with Scott on his LinkedIn group http://bit.ly/1LMp2hj.