IS terror threat to Champions League

SECURITY has been stepped up for this week’s Champions League matches after Islamic State terrorists issued a chilling threat.

An image of a masked gunman and the words “kill them all”, alongside the names of four football stadiums, was published by a pro-IS media channel.

The venues included

Arsenal’s Emirates

Stadium, where the north London club last night hosted Bayern Munich in their quarter-final first-leg match. Others listed were Real Madrid’s Bernabeu, where Man City played yesterday, Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium, where the home side play Borussia Dortmund tonight, and the Parc des Princes, the stage for the clash this evening between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

UEFA said it was aware of the threats but said the games in Madrid, Paris and London would go ahead as planned.

Before last night, the Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: “The UK terrorism threat level remains at ‘substantial’, meaning an attack is likely.

“And we work closely with colleagues from across Counter Terrorism Policing in planning for events here in London to take into account any relevant information that could help us to keep those attending safe.

“We have a robust policing plan in place for tonight’s match and we continue to work to ensure that the match passes peacefully.”

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said there would be “considerably reinforced” security measures in place when PSG play Barcelona tonight.

And Spain’s sports minister Pilar Alegría said “more than 2,000 police and civil guard officers” were being deployed in the capital, Madrid.