Chechens are combat specialists – that should worry us
THE allegation that an Isil cell may be operating in the west of Ireland is not surprising to anyone who has been paying attention to the nature of this threat.
It may turn out that this cell may be focused on providing a support role for the activities of Isil and are not themselves concerned with carrying out a direct attack in Ireland.
It is believed a number of groupings have come to Garda attention in the last year or more. However, rather than rolling them up, the Garda is cooperating with sister European nations in figuring out how these groupings are connected and function.
Arrests usually occur when the security services are satisfied they have squeezed as much intelligence out of their previous monitoring.
We have already seen people arrested earlier this year in both Dublin and Waterford in what was alleged to be an operation to channel funds raised in the UK and Ireland into Isil hands. This may prove to be more of the same, or more likely be a case of a small cell acting to extend Isil influence among the Islamic community in Ireland.
Warnings have long emanated from within the Islamic community in Ireland of there being extreme elements actively seeking to suborn young Irish-born Islamic men into more extremist activities.
In some cases, it went further than just an extremist mindset, to some of these men and youths being recruited to leave these shores and participate in the Isil fight in the Middle East.
Figures by the King’s College Centre for the Study of Political Violence in 2015 estimated Ireland had produced at least 30 fighters for the war in Syria.
Estimates the following year were pushed up to 70 or more individuals from an Islamic background leaving to fight.
The fact is, no one in the security services either here or with any of our European neighbours can be sure how many actually went to fight with Isil. Some may have simply left to fight with more moderate anti-Syriangovernment factions.
At this point, due to the string of military defeats inflicted on Isil by a mix of the Iraqi army, the Syrian army and indeed, other rebel factions who disapprove of Isil extremism, the numbers leaving Europe to fight for Isil have declined.
Therefore, the information that an Isil cell led by two Chechen men is operating in the west of Ireland becomes more disturbing. If they are simply dealing covertly with financial matters, they pose no direct threat to this State, but should still of course be arrested when appropriate.
However, the claim there are Chechens involved may indicate they are intent on radicalisation. Throughout the recent conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and latterly Syria, there have always been Chechen fighters to the fore.
They have a reputation as savage and fanatical fighters, having learned their trade in bitter no-quarter-given fighting in their homeland against the Russian Spetsnaz (special forces) troops.
Men from this background are more likely to be found in more combative activities than purely manoeuvring finance back to the mother ship, or forging documents.
Men like this tend to be to the forefront of extremist activities.