Irish tourists have been warned about direct terror threats against some of their favourite holiday destinations in Spain.
In a survey last month, 65% of travel agents said that Spain was the most popular destination for Irish holidaymakers.
That popularity will be tested after the Spanish government warned that ISIS is encouraging sympathisers to launch attacks. It’s understood the terrorist group wants to take revenge because Spanish anti-terror groups arrested dozens of suspected militants last year.
Concerns have grown in recent months as ISIS has released an increasing number of videos with Spanish sub-titles aimed at potential sympathisers in Spain. It’s feared there could be attacks similar to those in Berlin and Nice last year.
The Irish government has released a list of places that could be potential targets and advised on the level of precautions that should be taken. It advised normal precautions in Spain but added: “There is a general threat from terrorism in Europe, and the threat in Spain is considered to be high. While there is a risk of indiscriminate attacks, targets could include areas frequented by tourists.”
David Videcette is a former British counter-terrorism officer who investigated the 7/7 bombings in London. He told the Olive Press that an attack in Spain was “very possible”.
He said: “They may well be looking to attack specific countries with tourists. It’s very possible Costa Brava, Costa Del Sol, those sort of places could be on someone’s target list.”
Written by Michael Kehoe @michaelcalling
