Could ISIS launch a terrorist attack during the Champions League quarter-finals?

On Monday 8 April, the terrorist group Islamic State launched a threat against the four stadiums that will host the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The Al Azaim Foundation, a media outlet that is responsible for spreading messages from the Islamic State (Daesh, ISIS), published the image of a poster threatening the Parc des Princes, the Santiago Bernabéu, the Metropolitano and the Emirates Stadium, with the message ‘Kill them all’.

When was the most recent terrorist attack from ISIS?

The latest attack by the Islamic State, which took place on 22 March at the Crocus City Hall, a large concert hall in Moscow, is still fresh. Several armed men, dressed in camouflage uniforms, burst in and fired automatic weapons at the audience. The criminal action resulted in 143 dead and around 200 wounded.

Monday’s threat comes after the ISIS-affiliated media outlet Sarh al-Khilafah published an image on 30 March calling for an attack on the people who were at the Allianz Arena in Munich to watch the match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

The Government of Madrid have activated security procedures for the Champions League double-header this week in the Spanish capital. Both matches, Real Madrid-Manchester City and Atlético-Borussia Dortmund, have been declared high risk by the Anti-Violence Commission and will have more than 3,000 members of security forces spread out between them. Nearly 8,000 Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund fans are expected to arrive.

What is the difference between Islamic State and ISIS?

In a word, nothing. The two names are applicable for the same group of people, as are ISIL and Daesh.

When the group was established in 2006, it called itself the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS), which was soon shortened to Islamic State. In April 2013, they were renamed to Islamic State of Iraq the “Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham,” the Arabic term for the eastern Mediterranean region.

However, the U.S. government use the acronym ISIL, which stands for “Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.” The Levant, from a French word, covers most of al-Sham.

As well as all of the aforementioned names, some people prefer to use the Arabic acronym for ISIS, Daesh, as it is said that Islamic State members find the acronym offensive.

Madrid increase security for games against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund

The delegate of the Government in Madrid, Francisco Martín, has deployed additional security reinforcements across the two days that will see Champions League matches held in the capital, given the alert levels set by the intelligence services and the security forces in the country.

“The two matches on consecutive match days, of course, represents a huge challenge, something with we have dealt with well on previous occasions. Now we are working to do the same again both today and tomorrow,” he stressed after holding the security meeting, which took place after learning of the alleged threat of the Islamic State on the Champions League matches.

Martín stressed that the Delegation will carry out a special level of security arrangements for the double date of the Champions League, according to “the alert levels determined by the intelligence services and the forces and security forces of the State”.

This implies additional reinforcement to the standard level that had already been announced and which will entail an increase in police resources, both National Police and Civil Guards, as well as the security and emergency services of the Madrid City Council.