Brussels attacks: Autonomous ISIS cells a ‘nightmare’

Jihadist cells like the one that carried out the Br-ussels attacks are supported by the ISIS group’s leadership in the Middle East, but are choosing themselves where and when to strike, experts say. And that degree of autonomy is making them all the more difficult to track, and doubly dangerous.

“These are security personnel’s worst nightmare. Because they’re almost impossible to prevent, they can hit almost any soft target possible,” said Robert Taylor, a terrorism and security expert at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Tuesday’s bombings at the Brussels airport and metro, which killed 31 people and wounded 270, were quickly claimed by ISIS as the latest in a wave of deadly attacks in Europe.

Less than two years after it declared its Islamic “caliphate” in Syria and Iraq, ISIS appears to have set up a network of cells made up of European nationals drawn to its extremist cause. By providing these homegrown jihadists with training, planning and munitions, ISIS has managed to extend its reach into Europe’s capitals.

“These are coordinated attacks. They’re certainly rehearsed. People have planned them, and I think they are directed by a specific group,” Mr Taylor said. “I doubt it goes all the way up to (ISIS chief Abu Bakr) Baghdadi. I think what we have are individual cells that are acting relatively independently.”

J.M. Berger, a fellow at George Washington University, said it has become clear that attacks like the ones in Brussels and in Paris were more than just inspired by ISIS. “It’s certainly not a lone wolf attack when there are three or four confirmed attackers, not counting any other support they had,” he said.