Spain on high alert amid ISIS threats as European leaders warn of impending conflict with Russia and return to “prewar era”
Spain is not the only country on alert as the quarterfinals get ready to take place. On Wednesday, Paris St. Germain and Barcelona will face off in Paris, France. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told reporters on Tuesday that police had strengthened security for the match, as he was providing an update on security during this summer’s Olympics. “We have seen, among other things, a communication from the Islamic State that particularly targets stadiums. It is not new,” he said. British police also said they were aware of threats leading up to Tuesday night’s match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal in London, and had a robust policing plan in place. Reuters reported that the Islamic State was urging followers to recreate an attack on the Strade de France stadium back in November 2015, and in a post, the group posted an image of Paris St. Germain’s Parc des Princes stadium, according to Site Intelligence, which tracks communications between Islamic militants. Site Intelligence also reported that militants were urged in another post to use drones to attack stadiums if they cannot physically reach the location. “If they constrict and oppress on the ground, then strike them from the sky,” said the post, which featured a quadcopter flying over Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.