Euro 2024 presents a complex policing and security challenge (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Euro 2024 presents a ‘very complex security challenge’ encompassing a range of threats, according to a counter-extremism expert.
Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler identified terrorism, hooliganism and far-right violence as being among the red flags for police and security services.
The former terror analyst for the German government told Metro.co.uk that ISIS and other Islamic extremist groups present a resurgent threat.
Drone and ‘lone actor’ attacks are also part of the matrix, he said.
UEFA’s competition kicks off in Germany tonight and will take place across 10 venues, with at least 500,000 England and Scotland fans expected to make the trip, with or without tickets.
Current advice from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) states: ‘Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Germany.’ These could be ‘indiscriminate’, the guidance says.
A series of terror arrests have taken place in host nation Germany in the run-up to the games, including of alleged Hamas and ISIS supporters.
Behind the scenes, several hundred police and security officers, including representatives from the UK, are combining their efforts via a 24-7 control room at the International Police Cooperation Centre (IPCC) in the western city of Nuess, near Düsseldorf.
German police take part in a drill at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart (Picture: EPA)
Dr Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), said: ‘There is a very complex threat environment for the Euros.
‘There are the usual threats, such as Islamist terrorism and right-wing violence, but this time they are on steroids.
‘Since the Hamas attack on October 7, Islamist groups have been active at the extremist end of the spectrum and have made alliances with left-wing extremist groups, increasing their threat potential.
‘In a perverse way, this puts enormous pressure on al-Qaeda and IS [Islamic State] to do something significant to get back on the news.
‘The attack in Moscow was the first successful attempt by IS to get back on the news since Hamas and Hezbollah dominated the coverage after October 7. IS and IS-Khorosan [ISKP] cells have been arrested at an incredible rate over the last eight months in Germany, so clearly there is a sustained effort to pull off a complex attack in the country.
The International Police Cooperation Centre in Neuss (Picture: AFP via Getty)
Portuguese officers at the high tech police cooperation centre (Picture: AP)
‘On top of that there is a right-wing extremist scene which has been violent for quite a while. In America you have a new right-wing extremist strategy named Active Clubs whose members are not openly political and do not wave Nazi flags, but who are being trained in street-fighting.
‘They are looking to use direct action not for political reasons but simply to get their guys used to fighting in the streets.
‘The Euros present an enormous opportunity for them as well.’
A reminder of the ever-present terror threat has been presented in the form of online posters released by unofficial pro-ISIS media groups threatening to attack Euro 2024 and Paris Olympics venues.
Analysed by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a non-profit media analysis organisation based in Washington DC, one of the mocked-up images refers to ‘lone wolves’ and shows an explosives-laden drone heading towards the Eiffel Tower.
French soldiers patrol near the Eiffel Tower on March 25, 2024, as part of a national security plan
(Picture: EPA)
While police in the host cities are in charge of safety and security, the IPCC operation is aimed at integrating international personnel.
Work at the high tech control centre includes collecting and analysing security information to generate ‘situational overviews’ around the clock for dissemination among the 24 participating nations.
On the ground, plain-clothed officers working for British police — known as spotters — will report back to their colleagues in the nerve centre.
Red Star Belgrade ‘ultras’ attending Serbia’s opening fixtures will be of close interest to the authorities, having been linked to violence at club and national games and vocal in their support of Vladimir Putin.
The international security operation is taking place with 2.7 million visitors expected over the 10 weeks of UEFA’s competition, which begins with Scotland playing the host nation in Munich at 8pm.
England’s campaign kicks off against Serbia on Sunday at the 55,000-capacity Arena AufSchalke stadium in Gelsenkirchen.
Euro 2024 takes place across 10 venues (Picture: Alexandra Beier/AFP via Getty)
The city will also host a fan park with capacity for up to 40,000 people to watch the day’s games and enjoy music, games, food and beer.
The game has been judged ‘high risk’ by Uefa and the German authorities, with Gelsenkirchen’s police chief expressing concern that up to 500 Serbian hooligans will travel to the host nation in the run-up to the game.
Dr Schindler, who is based at the transatlantic think-tank’s Berlin office, said: ‘The German authorities are very well aware of these threats and for the past couple of years they have been co-operating with the police and intelligence services of all the countries participating in the Euros.
‘It’s a well-established mechanism and the number of arrests in Germany shows how closely they are looking at the picture.
‘The stadia are quite safe. During the 2015 Bataclan arrack the terrorists also wanted to get into the Stade de France but were denied because of the controls that are in place at football grounds.
‘Drones present a technical problem, especially if they were to be used to drop an explosive charge inside a stadium, but I’m told by my colleagues in the German security forces that they have a solution to the threat.’
Fan zones also present a security challenge at the tournament, where Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions are favourites to win the final at Olympiastadion Berlin on July 14. The parks will be a draw for thousands of England and Scotland followers without tickets, as just 10,000 were issued by UEFA to national associations for each group stage game.
German police will be out in force at Euro 2024 (Picture: Getty Images)
‘The big fan zones in Berlin have been cordoned off ahead of the tournament so no one could have planted any explosive devices inside them and there will likely be some entry and access controls, probably not as strict as at the stadia but I’m sure there will at least be some cursory rules,’ Dr Schindler said.
‘Hooliganism is a problem, but it’s a very well known problem across Europe and I’m quite sure the main troublemakers will not all be allowed to travel to the Euros.
‘The last remaining threat is the very low key, lone actor with access to a crude weapon like a knife, like we saw in the murder of a policeman before an anti-Islam rally in Mannheim two weeks ago.
‘The only protections against this are the enhanced monitoring which takes place and for the public to generally be more aware than they would otherwise be.’
The analyst highlighted the fans themselves as being one of the most important layers of security.
‘The mantra has to be, “if you see something, say something”, as there will be enough police officers responsible for your safety and security to speak to,’ he said.
German police take part in training in preparation for Euro 2024 (Picture: EPA)
Matt Schierer, MEMRI’s Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor researcher, told Metro.co.uk that there has been a ‘surge’ in threats to the games over the past several months, and the communications should be taken seriously.
‘In my view IS and its affiliate, ISKP, should pose immediate concern to the authorities at Euro 2024,’ he said.
‘We’ve documented a surge in threats to the games, with ISKP in particular signalling its clear intent to conduct or inspire attacks.’
Schierer cited the examples of a poster released by an ISKP-affiliated media outlet, Al-Aza’im Media Foundation, which depicted an ISIS operative armed with explosives on a German S-Bahn train.
Another graphic, produced by a pro-ISIS media outlet, showed crosshairs on a large crowd gathered outside the Allianz Arena in Munich.
‘Such threats should be considered credible,’ Schierer said.
‘The Moscow concert hall attack in March, which killed more than 140 people, demonstrated that ISKP has the operational capacity to conduct attacks in Europe.
Fans are urged to remain vigilant in Germany (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
‘Germany’s arrest of ISKP-linked individuals in March and April of this year also underscores that the group’s reach extends into the continent.
‘Broadly speaking, high-profile sporting events constitute prime targets for terrorists, as successful operations can significantly boost their profile.’
MEMRI has detected a concerted effort by ISKP to inspire ‘lone wolf’ attacks on high-profile sports events and stadiums in the West.
‘To this end, ISKP and its supporters have exploited and will continue to exploit grievances over international developments, such as the war in Gaza, to drive recruitment and inspire attacks internationally,’ Schierer assesses.
‘In sum, the uptick in threats to Euro 2024, coupled with ISKP’s intent and capacity to recruit, inspire and coordinate attacks in Europe, almost certainly will lead to heightened security at the tournament.’
The current FCDO advice states that there is a ‘high threat’ of a terror attack in Germany affecting UK interests and British nationals.
The guidance says that the host nation’s authorities ‘regularly’ report that they have disrupted plots and made arrests.
British nationals travelling to Euro 2024 are advised to sign up to email updates and the official competition app.
The FCDO also recommends following basic safety advice and respecting local cultural sensitivities in Germany.
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