Threat of lone-wolf attacks to increase, says UN agency after Macron comment

PM Imran Khan wrote to leaders of Muslim-majority countries, also complaining that Muslim women were being denied right to wear clothing of their choice in western countries though nuns and priests continue to display their religious clothing.

The United Nations threats and security agency has assessed that the threat posed by extremists and lone-wolf attacks could increase and threat actors will not hesitate to seize an opportunity that presents itself. In a security advisory issued by its regional office in Bangkok, the UN’s department of safety and security asked UN personnel, particularly those of French nationality, to be alert and observant of their surroundings

Muslims have called for protests and a boycott of French goods in response to France's stance on caricatures of Islam's most revered prophet (AP)

The advisory, which noted that the threat could extend to commercial or educational institutions perceived to be linked to France, also asked all staffers to consider the time they spent in locations associated with French interests.

“It must be noted that factors such as appearances or spoken language in themselves do not denote nationality, and the outspoken threats against French nationals is assessed as having a potential to collaterally affect other nationalities as well,” according to the 28 October advisory seen by HT.

The advisory follows the recent beheading of a French teacher in Paris at the hands of a religious extremist that led French President Emmanuel Macron to defend the right to depict Islam’s Prophet Muhammad in caricatures as freedom of expression and pledged to fight what he had described as “Islamist separatism”.

The UN safety department’s Threat and Risk Assessment Service (TRS) said there has been an observed increase in anti-Western sentiment and anti-France rhetoric across pre-dominantly Muslim States, including the Asia-Pacific region including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Indonesia.

There have been calls for attacks against French assets by extremist groups such as Islamic State and al-Qaeda. In Bangladesh, there have been large-scale protests against Macron’s support.

In Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan led the pitch, accusing French President Emmanuel Macron of “attacking Islam” and of “creating further polarisation that would in turn lead to further radicalisation”. Pakistan’s Foreign Office also issued a statement condemning what it called a “systematic Islamophobic campaign under the garb of freedom of expression,” it said.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs had also announced country-wide celebrations as part of Ashiq-e-Rasool (Love for Prophet Muhammad) from 30 October to 6 November. As part of these celebrations, small to medium scale public gatherings and religious conferences will be held by the government. Medium to large scale protest rallies are also likely through this week.

France has endured three attacks blamed on Muslim extremists in the last two months: one by a Pakistani refugee that injured two people outside the newspaper’s old headquarters, the slaying of the schoolteacher, and a deadly knife attack last Thursday in a church in the Mediterranean city of Nice. All three have prompted terrorism investigations and France has been at its highest level of alert.

India had last week come out in support of the French president who faced vicious attacks after he spoke in favour of the freedom of expression

“We strongly deplore the personal attacks in unacceptable language on President Emmanuel Macron in violation of the most basic standards of international discourse. We also condemn the brutal terrorist attack that took the life of a French school teacher in a gruesome manner that has shocked the world. We offer our condolences to his family and the people of France,” the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement last week.

The advisory underscored that the Twitter hashtag #IStandWithFrance was trending in India, with thousands of netizens expressing their support and appreciation for French President Macron’s decision to “take a stand against extremism.”