What’s behind ISIS threat to Champions League soccer matches?
The threats follow an ISIS-linked shooting in Belgium in October. The group remains particularly active in Iraq and Syria, though it no longer holds territory there.
Four major association football (soccer) matches in the United Kingdom, Spain and France are proceeding this week, despite threats from the Islamic State (ISIS).
The league is an annual competition of top division European soccer clubs and is organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
What happened: The quarterfinals in the Champions League are taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday. The following are the quarterfinals matches:
- Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich, Emirates Stadium in London, Tuesday
- Real Madrid vs. Manchester City, Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Tuesday
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. FC Barcelona, Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday
- Atletico Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund, Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Wednesday
The Islamic State posted threats to all four matches on their Telegram channels on Monday. In one image seen by Al-Monitor, an ISIS gunmen is holding an assault rifle beside pictures of the four stadiums. The caption instructs the group to attack the gatherings in order to “avenge your religion and Muslim brothers from the polytheists.”
