EU security chiefs brace for more Islamist attacks

Islamic State and other militants are very likely to mount big, new operations in Europe following the attacks on Paris last year, the EU's police agency said on Monday.

Europol said in a report: "There is every reason to expect that IS, IS-inspired terrorists or another religiously inspired terrorist group will undertake a terrorist attack somewhere in Europe again, but particularly in France, intended to cause mass casualties amongst the civilian population. This is in addition to the threat of lone actor attacks, which has not diminished."

At a news conference to mark the launch of a new European Counter Terrorism Centre within Europol, based in The Hague, its director, Rob Wainwright, said the assessment by EU national security chiefs showed that Islamic State "has the willingness and capability to carry out further attacks in Europe".