Yesterday, citing ‘informed structures’, the Federal Agency for Tourism spread information that leaders of the international terrorist organization of Daesh planned to take hostages among Russian citizens in Turkey. According to Rostourism, the hostages might be taken to territories controlled by terrorists to commit public executions and to use the hostages as human shields in military activities against Syrian governmental and coalition troops. The Agency urges all non-organized tourists who intend to visit Turkey to take all possible measures to provide their personal security.
Speaking about the global threat of Daesh, Anna Glazova, Deputy Director of Russia's Institute for Strategic Studies, says that the organization has become a center of attraction not only for Muslims but for non-Muslims: “In many countries of the world there is an idea that they offer an idea of creating a kind of Caliphate, a dream state. And this is very dangerous, because those who join ISIS, and you know that, despite all the measures taken by Russia and the anti-terrorist coalition with the regional countries, the number of ISIS supporters is still expanding. These people do necessarily join this structure in order to take up arms and go and kill infidels or someone that they would be told to. They often go there to live and work in this country. In their minds it is the personification of this kind of just state, which is created in opposition to ideals alien to the majority of Muslims in the first place, to the ideals of the West, in contrast to the corrupt governments compromised by them that exist in the East,” Glazova believes.
She says that Daesh is a center of attraction for other terrorist groups: “Previously we had to deal with small terrorist groups that were scattered around the world, now many of these structures do not even have to negotiate with the leaders of ISIS, or to any contact, they can declare their allegiance to the organization and act on its behalf. Moreover, even individual terrorists can do it, being able to receive instructions via the Internet for the organization and preparation of a terrorist act.”
The expert states that the current situation in the Middle East is developing in such a way that we have to contend not only with ISIS, but also with those countries that support the group: “First of all, there are several regional countries, I am talking about Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These countries, acting within the framework of this global project, often may not even be aware of the consequences that will result in the near future. Because now they support ISIS, but this support may lead to the fact that in the future these countries themselves will be on the verge of destabilization, and perhaps even collapse. An example of what is happening is Turkey, which several years ago was a stable, prosperous country of the Middle East, but has now transformed into another hot spot, is very significant.”
