Islamic State reveals it has smuggled THOUSANDS of extremists into Europe

AN OPERATIVE working for Islamic State has revealed the terror group has successfully smuggled thousands of covert Jihadists into Europe.

The Syrian operative claimed more than 4,000 covert ISIS gunmen had been smuggled into western nations – hidden amongst innocent refugees.

The ISIS smuggler, who is in his 30s with a trimmed jet-black beard, revealed the ongoing clandestine operation is a complete success.

"Just wait," he smiled.

The Islamic State operative spoke exclusively to BuzzFeed on the condition of anonymity and is believed to be the first to confirm plans to infiltrate western countries.

Islamic State, also referred to as IS and ISIS, is believed to be actively smuggling deadly gunmen across the sparsely-guarded 565-mile Turkish border and on to richer European nations, he revealed.

There are now more than 4,000 covert ISIS gunmen "ready" across the European Union, he claimed.

The operative said the undercover infiltration was the beginning of a larger plot to carry out revenge attacks in the West in retaliation for the US-led coalition airstrikes.

"If someone attacks me," he said "then for sure I will attack them back."

Islamic State extremists are taking advantage of developed nation's generosity towards refugees to infiltrate Europe, he said.

The lethal ISIS gunmen use local smugglers to blend in and travel amongst a huge tide of illegal migrants flooding Europe.

More than 1.5million refugees have fled into Turkey alone – desperate to escape the bloodshed in Syria.

From Turkish port cities like Izmir and Mersin, thousands of refugees venture across the Mediterranean aiming for Italy, he said.

Then the majority make for more welcoming nations like Sweden and Germany, turning themselves over to authorities and appealing for asylum.

"They are going like refugees," he said.

Two Turkish refugee-smugglers backed up the claims made by the ISIS Syrian operative.

One admitted to helping more than ten trained ISIS rebels infiltrate Europe under the guise of asylum seekers.

He said: "I’m sending some fighters who want to go and visit their families.

"Others just go to Europe to be ready."

The Syrian operative, a former member of his nation's security forces, said ISIS had ambitious plans ahead.

"It’s our dream that there should be a caliphate not only in Syria but in all the world," he said "and we will have it soon, God willing."

The operative agreed to a meeting at the urging of a former Free Syrian Army gunman who fought alongside him in the war.

The Syrian said he had been granted permission to attend the meeting by his superior in ISIS — a radical referred to by members of the group as an "emir."

"There are some things I’m allowed to tell you and some things I’m not," he said.

During the meeting, the operative said he believed future attacks would only target Western governments – not civilians.

Although details of terror plot are something over which he has little control, he claims.

The jihadist told Western followers if they had the opportunity to "shed a drop of blood" in Western countries – then they should do so.

Spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani also praised the recent terror attacks in Australia, Belgium and France.

"We repeat our call to Muslims in Europe, the infidel West, and everywhere to target the Crusaders in their home countries and wherever they find them," he said.

"We will be enemies, in front of God, to any Muslim who can shed a drop of blood of a Crusader and abstains from doing that with a bomb, bullet, knife, car, rock or even a kick or a punch."

A Turkish foreign ministry official said authorities were actively working to clamp down on refugee-smuggling.

He pointed out that since Europe accepts few refugees through legal channels, the demand for smuggling has increased.

"Illegal migration has been an important issue and Turkey is effectively fighting against it," the official, who declined to be named, confirmed.

"Of course the most effective way to put an end to all these problems would be immediate action by the international community to solve the Syrian conflict."

When asked about the smuggling of Islamic State operatives in boats of innocent refugees, the anonymous official said his government was unaware of the plot.

"We do not have that particular intelligence," he said.

"Turkey has been taking very tight measures against [ISIS] with all the capabilities the government has."

ISIS claims beheading of Iraqi security personnel

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group beheaded an Iraqi police officer and a soldier, the latest in a long series of atrocities committed by the jihadists, according to pictures posted online Sunday.

In one photo, a blindfolded man said to be a police lieutenant colonel kneels in a street in front of a row of gunmen.

A masked militant is then shown beheading the victim with a machete, after which his severed head is placed atop his body and the machete driven into his back.

Another photo shows an overweight masked militant apparently struggling to behead a man identified as a captured Iraqi soldier.

The caption says a second soldier was also beheaded, but his death is not shown.

The authenticity of the photos could not be independently confirmed.

ISIS spearheaded a sweeping militant offensive in June that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad, and also holds significant territory in neighboring Syria.

The brutal militant group has killed thousands of people in both countries, some of them in highly-choreographed videotaped sequences in which the victims are beheaded.

Iraqi security forces, backed by Kurdish troops, Shiite militias, Sunni tribesmen and a U.S.-led campaign of air strikes, have managed to regain some ground from ISIS.

But the jihadists still control significant territory, including three major cities.

'Kenji has died, and my heart is broken': Mother of Japanese hostage beheaded by Jihadi John grieves while Jordan still offers prisoner swap to save their pilot

• Jordanian pilot Mu'adh al-Kaseasbeh, 26, is thought to still be alive.
• ISIS video released last night allegedly show beheading of Kenji Goto
• Terror group had been trying to exchange Goto for Jordanian prisoner
• In new video fighter tells camera 'we have an entire army thirsty for blood'
• Mr Goto's body is then shown lying on desert floor in rocky gorge
• There was no mention of Mr al-Kaseasbeh in last night's ISIS video
• His family are now demanding Jordanian government take action
• Japanese PM Shinzo Abe said he will 'never forgive' killing of hostages

The family of the Japanese ISIS hostage who appeared in a video allegedly showing his beheading by British militant Jihadi John has paid tribute to his memory.
The mother and brother of journalist Kenji Goto, 47, spoke of their loss following confirmation that he had passed away, although the authenticity of the video has yet to be proven.

This comes as the Jordanian government has pledged to do 'everything it can' to save the pilot thought to still be held hostage by ISIS militants.

'Kenji has died, and my heart is broken. Facing such a tragic death, I'm just speechless,' Goto's mother Junko Ishido told reporters, adding that her son's death showed he was a kind gentle man, trying to save another hostage.

'I was hoping Kenji might be able to come home,' said Goto's brother, Junichi Goto, in a separate interview. 'I was hoping he would return and thank everyone for his rescue, but that's impossible, and I'm bitterly disappointed.'

Lt. Mu'adh al-Kaseasbeh, 26, has been held hostage since December, but last night's video, purporting to show Mr Goto's beheading, made no mention of him.

Earlier this week, the Jordanian government said it would give in to ISIS's demands and release a death-row al-Qaeda prisoner, in exchange for Mr al-Kaseasbeh.

Hours after the release of the video, the Jordanian government said it would 'do everything it can to save the life and secure the release' of Mr al-Kaseasbeh.

'All state organisations have been mobilised to secure the proof of life that we require so that he can be freed and returned to his home,' Government spokesman Mohammed al-Momeni said today.

Jordan said on Friday that it will only release Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, a failed suicide bomber currently on death row, if it gets proof Mr al-Kaseasbeh is alive.

Mr al-Momeni also condemned the murder of Japanese journalist Mr Goto after days of intensive efforts through intermediaries to save him. 'We spared no effort, in coordination with the Japanese government, to save his life,' Momeni said.

Mr al-Kaseasbeh's father, Safi al-Kassasbeh, today denounced the killing of Mr Goto saying the Jordanian 'government is responsible' for his son's fate.

Members of the al-Kaseasbeh tribe held a candlelight vigil in his home town of Karak, Jordan on Saturday, carrying posters with 'we are all Mu'adh,' written in Arabic.

An uncle of the pilot, Yassin Rawashda, said early Sunday that 'we want the government to tell us the truth.' He says the family also wants to know which direction negotiations are headed.

The government is also under domestic pressure to win the release of Mr al-Kaseasbeh, the first foreign pilot to be captured by ISIS since a U.S.-led military coalition began carrying out air strikes in Iraq and Syria in September.

Since his capture, there have been several protests in Jordan questioning the country's involvement in the fight against ISIS.

Hostage: The fate of Jordanian pilot Mu'adh al-Kasasibah, is still unknown Last Saturday an audio recording emerged purporting to be of Mr Goto explaining that Mr Yukawa had been killed, and again pleading for his release.

The voice claimed that ISIS had changed its demands, asking the Jordanian government for the release of al-Rishawi and threatening to kill Mr al-Kaseasbeh.

There was no mention of the fate of Mr al-Kaseasbeh in last night's footage, and Jordan has previously threatened to kill all of its ISIS hostages if he is harmed.

Jordan's government spokesman, Mohammed al-Momani, declined comment late Saturday on the video of Mr Goto's purported beheading.

The video seems to show the 47-year-old freelance journalist being beheaded by the ISIS militant fighter known as Jihadi John.

The 70-second clip shows Mr Goto kneeling in a rocky gorge while the masked murderer delivers a scripted message to the camera.

The killer then lowers his knife and the footage goes black, as is common in ISIS propaganda films. When the footage begins again Mr Goto's body is shown lying on the desert floor.

The fighter, who has a British accent, says: 'To the Japanese government: You, like your foolish allies in the Satanic coalition, have yet to understand that we, by Allah's grace, are an Islamic Caliphate with authority and power, an entire army thirsty for your blood.

'(Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo) Abe, because of your reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war, this knife will not only slaughter Kenji, but will also carry on and cause carnage wherever your people are found.

'So let the nightmare for Japan begin.'

The Japanese government has strongly condemned the apparent killing and today ordered heightened security precautions Sunday and said it would persist with its non-military support for fighting terrorism.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said: 'I cannot help feeling strong indignation that an inhuman and despicable act of terrorism like this has been committed again.'

Japanese authorities have said the video is most likely genuine. A statement from a cabinet meeting of senior politicians said the footage 'has a high degree of credibility.'

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe added: 'I feel strong indignation at this inhumane and contemptible act of terrorism. I will never forgive these terrorists.'

'Japan will work with the international community to bring those responsible for this crime to justice,' he said, reiterating that Japan would not give in to terrorism.

Abe vowed to continue providing humanitarian aid to countries fighting the Islamic State extremists. Bowing to terrorist intimidation would prevent Japan from providing medical assistance and other aid it views as necessary for helping to restore stability in the region, he and other officials say.

On Saturday, President Barack Obama led global condemnation of the apparent slaying, deeming it a 'heinous murder' and saying the US stands in solidarity with Japan against the 'barbaric act'.

In a statement, Obama called Goto courageous and said America applauds Japan's steadfast commitment to advancing peace and prosperity in the Middle East as well as around the world.

Also on Saturday, Andreas Kreig, assistant professor for defence studies at King's College London, told MailOnline that he believes the footage is genuine.

We are an Islamic Caliphate with... an entire army thirsty for your blood
He said: 'The technology that is used to film, they way the shots are cut, the way the footage transitions from one shot to the next, these are all things we have seen before in ISIS videos.'

Anthony Glees, Professor of Security Studies at Buckingham University, added: 'This kind of video still has the power to shock. 'It's particularly shocking because in this case everyone had a sense that Mr Goto may be released, as would the Jordanian pilot.'

Last night ISIS tweeted to say they were going to give King Abdullah, the deceased ruler of Saudi Arabia, a present on what would have been his 91st birthday.

Last night terror expert Shiraz Maher, who works for King's College London, tweeted the message, and added: 'I suspect, sadly, we'll see hostage videos released soon.'

Asked whether he had been expecting ISIS to release footage this evening, Dr Kreid added: 'We had not been expecting anything, but something had to happen, because ISIS had issued an ultimatum that was not met.'

Mr Goto first appeared in an ISIS propaganda video a week ago alongside fellow Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa, 42.

ISIS demanded $200million for the release of both of the men, the same amount the Japnese government pledged to help fight the organisation.

The Japanese government has said it is currently trying to verify the footage, which was distributed by ISIS' propaganda arm al-Furqan Media Foundation.

Mr Goto, 47, a war correspondent with experience in Middle East hot spots, went to Syria in late October to try to help release Mr Yukawa, who was captured in July.

Mr Yukawa's arrival in the Middle East followed a number of difficult years, which appeared to begin in 2005, when his business failed, leaving him in debt and, at one point, reportedly homeless.

The Japnese government has previously condemned ISIS' threats against Mr Yukawa and Mr Goto, while stating that they will not cooperate with terrorists.

After news of Mr Yukawa's killing spread, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: 'Considering the unbearable pain and sorrow that his family must be feeling, I am speechless.

'Such act of terrorism is outrageous and impermissible, it causes me nothing but strong indignation. I condemn it strongly and resolutely.'

U.S. officials said they were trying to confirm the authenticity of the video.

Bernadette Meehan, a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council, said: 'We have seen the video purporting to show that Japanese citizen Kenji Goto has been murdered by the terrorist group ISIL.

'The United States strongly condemns ISIL's actions and we call for the immediate release of all the remaining hostages. We stand in solidarity with our ally Japan.'

Junko Ishido, Mr Goto's mother, has previously issued a tearful appeal for her son to be released.

Speaking at a press conference last week, she said: 'I say to you people of the Islamic State, Kenji is not your enemy. Please release him. 'Kenji was always saying 'I hope to save lives of children on battlefields'. He was reporting war from a neutral position.'

Mr Gotos' death, if confirmed, adds to a long list of foreign hostages that have apparently been killed by Jihadi John, including Harnua Yukawa. The list of victims also includes British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid worker Peter Kassig.

Hackers target UW website with ties to terror group

SEATTLE -- A group with ties to the Islamic State is claiming responsibility for hacking into several areas of a University of Washington website.

 The Moroccan Islamic Union-Mail posted pictures to Facebook Thursday of defaced UW website pages. The hacked site shows a photo of a memorial for American soldiers and warns other Americans in Iraq.

"Again site down. Iraq is the cemetery of American ... Hello to the death that awaits you at the hands of the Mujahideen in Iraq," the message reads.

The group has claimed responsibility for past hacks on various governmental and religious websites.

University of Washington officials sent out a statement on Thursday acknowledging that some websites were defaced, but they avoided calling the incident a "hack." The officials say they're investigating and have taken actions to resolve the issue.

As of Thursday night, at least one section of the website was still showing the message posted by the Moroccan Islamic Union-Mail.