Ireland part of international police operation targeting terrorist network
The investigation was organised by Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre. Picture: Getty Images
Ireland has taken part in an international police operation targeting an offshoot of the fanatical Islamic State terrorist network.
The investigation — coordinated by the EU police agency Europol and involving the FBI — targeted “support networks across Europe” of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).
A number of suspects were arrested in what Europol said were “multiple high-stakes investigations”.
The ISKP emerged from a regional branch of the Islamic State in Afghanistan but has spread its jihadist network across Russia and into Europe.
Garda security and intelligence has been monitoring a small group of supporters in Ireland in recent years.
A statement issued by the EU police agency said: “Europol, in coordination with eight European law enforcement agencies and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), successfully concluded a week-long operational action targeting the so-called Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and its support networks across Europe.”
It said the ISKP remains “a significant threat in jihadi terrorism, with its networks in Europe posing a major concern”.
The investigation was organised by Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre.
“It brought together investigators to exchange real-time intelligence, disrupt terrorist networks, and reinforce cross-border cooperation,” the statement said.
The operation, which ran from June 1-5, focused on ISKP-affiliated individuals of Chechen and Central Asian origin, identified through shared investigative leads.
Seven EU members — Ireland, Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Finland, Italy, Spain — joined the US in the operation.
The statement said the collaboration and cross-referencing of information across continents allowed for “accelerated detailing of ISKP travel routes” spanning Europe, South America, and the United States.
It said: “The close cooperation yielded immediate results after Europol swiftly responded to an urgent intelligence request via SIENA over the ensuing weekend, which allowed authorities to arrest several suspects.”
The statement said that, throughout the week, over 100 gigabytes of operational information was exchanged, enabling the “full identification of several suspects” and advancing what it said were “multiple high-stakes investigations".
It said Europol “embedded dedicated analysts with each participating delegation” to identify critical investigative overlaps, facilitate bilateral meetings, and resolve blind spots in ongoing cases.
A sister Europol section, the European Cybercrime Centre, supported member states in tracking cryptocurrency trails.
Another Europol unit, the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre, provided expertise on financing networks.
The statement said: “This operation underscores Europol’s strengthened global partnerships in counter-terrorism, highlighting the agency’s commitment to disrupting threats through coordinated, intelligence-driven action.
“By bridging national borders, the action week reinforced operational trust, mapped ISKP activities in Europe, and demonstrated the critical role of international collaboration in combating terrorism.”
In January 2025, Garda security and intelligence was alerted to a poster that circulated online, including in the German newspaper, of a threat purported to be from ISKP highlighting 10 cultural events in Europe, including St Patrick’s Day, as potential targets.
said the poster was published on the ISPK platform "Al Azaim Media".
The ISPK, or IS-K, stands for the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, with was responsible for the March 2024 terror attack in Moscow, leaving over 140 concertgoers dead.
In August 2024, the CIA tipped off Austrian authorities about an ISPK inspired terror plot targeting Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna, which intended to cause "mass casualties".
Last May, a 21-year-old Austrian man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for planning the jihadist attack, which was to involve a bomb and the use of knives.
Another 21-year-old, from Slovakia, previously received 12 years in prison for his role in the cell.
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