Fanatic in sights of SAS
A TERRORIST threat aimed at Prince George has been posted online.
The vile posting on encrypted instant messaging app Telegram warns: “Even the royal family will not be left alone.”
Isis fantatics added a picture of the future king next to a photo of his school in Battersea, south London.
They included the address with the caption “school starts early”.
It also featured words in Arabic taken from a jihadi song which translates as, “When war comes with the melody of bullets, we descend on disbelief, desiring retaliation”.
Our investigators uncovered the hate-filled threat on the anonymous messaging service.
British spies are now monitoring Telegram aroundthe-clock in an effort to stop potential Isis attacks in the UK.
Last night experts said it was critical to keep monitoring the service.
People living and working near George’s school – Thomas’s Battersea – have already raised concerns about security there after a woman filmed herself walking through the corridors unchallenged. Sarah Burnett-Moore strolled into the building days before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s fouryear-old son started classes last month.
She said the lack of security at the £17,600-a-year private school was “astonishing”.
The 54-year-old doctor said: “I could have walked in with an IED and set it to go off.
“I live just 200 metres from the school and myself and lots of neighbours are worried about the security implications as the prince’s presence will make the area a target for attacks.”
Last night, cyber-security experts warned the Telegram app was a “breeding ground” for terrorists.
Barry Spielman, whose internet surveillance firm Sixgill has been tracking Telegram channels since the start of the year, said: “Our intelligence suggests that these threats are to be taken seriously. Over the last 12 months we have seen both official and non-offical Isis channels move over to Telegram.
“It’s an encrypted platform, making it a lot safer to communicate without being traced.
“We used to just track the Dark Web and Deep Web but now we are tracking Telegram.”
He said his firm has uncovered plans to arm drones. There were also bomb-making manuals and various fundraising campaigns.
Mr Spielman warned: “Now we are seeing explicit threats.
“It seems that as Isis continues to lose ground in Syria and Iraq, it has stepped up its threats to hit the West.
“This threat to Prince George is chilling.
“We have also seen evidence terrorists are planning a strike at the World Cup in Russia.
“These are very worrying times and it is critical we try to uncover these plots.
“Telegram is where many of them are being hatched as we speak.”
We also uncovered an Isis posting which threatened to target crisis-hit Myanmar, where security forces are accused of raping and massacring Rohingya muslims.
It’s not the first time members of our royal family have been threatened online. In 2015, in the run up to celebrations marking 70 years since the end of the Second World War, Isis threatened the Queen.
Last month, in a disturbing extremist video, they challenged Prince Harry to fight jihadis.
In the English-language clip a man who has been identified as Abu Uqayl from Singapore takes issue with the royal. Harry spoke about recent terror attacks in London during his visit to the country in June.
Uqayl said: “Why don’t you come here and fight us if you’re man enough, so that we can send you and your Apaches to hellfire?”
Harry served in the British Army and flew Apache attack helicopters in Afghanistan.
‘This is very chilling…we also have evidence they plan a strike at the World Cup’
ELITE SAS troops are involved in an operation to “kill or capture” the fanatical leader of Somalia’s al-Shabaab group.
It follows intelligence warnings that Ahmad Umar is preparing a new terror campaign against western targets in Kenya.
Umar became the organisation’s head two years ago. The previous leader was tracked by special forces and killed in a US drone strike. Surveillance experts also reckon they are close to finding so-called “White Widow” Samantha Lewthwaite, a known recruiter for al-Shabaab.
Umar’s forces killed more than 300 people in the Somali capital Mogadishu when a car bomb exploded two weeks ago.
It was the signal for the start of a fresh campaign that he claims will cross the border from Somalia into Kenya.
Earlier this year Umar ordered his men to kill 57 Kenyan peacekeeping soldiers near the border.
He is regarded as “highly unstable” and is said to be desperate to stamp his hallmark on his organisation.
But intelligence reports suggest Umar is not popular with al-Shabab elders.
A UK government source said: “AlShabaab are struggling with internal clan arguments about Umar’s ability.
“He needs to prove himself and the recent Mogadishu bomb was planned by him.” More than 40 UK special forces are in northern Kenya on a “training and support” mission.
They are working with local troops to track people crossing the border with Somalia.