Islamist attack on SA ‘is fake news’

Reports of possible terrorist attacks allegedly by Islamic State against South Africa have resurfaced as terrorism rises on the African continent, but the police have dismissed these as fake news, noting it came from a simulation exercise.

The national police spokesperson, Brigadier Vish Naidoo, said there was no threat whatsoever against South Africa, but he was aware of the reports.

“The contents of the message emanates from desk-top simulation exercises and nothing more. The article is based on half-truths and therefore can be concluded as being fake. Should there be such a threat to South Africa and if the situation permits it, we will issue a statement,” Naidoo said.

Naidoo said instead the police had been involved in various simulation exercises but he did not elaborate whether those were related to terrorism or not.

He said if there was any threat he would have known as he was also a spokesperson of the police national joint operation centre.

Although the first report on the issue in July following the riots was dismissed, it again reappeared on social media that possible attacks could be launched targeting shopping malls, businesses, farms, churches and mosques, among others.

Meanwhile, New African Magazine online has reported that while Middle East and Afghanistan-Pakistan was the focus of global terrorist activity, Africa had become home to more terrorist hotspots than any other region.

The magazine cited the latest Terrorism Index, which is produced annually by analysts Verisk Maplecroft, which said seven of the 10 highest risk countries were on the African continent.

The index assesses the number and magnitude of terrorist incidents in 198 countries based on the number of fatalities in any given year.

Both the reach and effectiveness of terrorist groups in Africa were growing, with terrorist violence on an upward trajectory.

It showed there were 13% more incidents in the last quarter of the year than in the previous three months.

The global Terrorism Index said the centre of gravity for Islamic State (IS) has moved from the Middle East to Africa and to some extent, South Asia.

About 982 people were killed by IS in Africa last year, 41% of the global total and a 67% increase on the 2019 figure for the continent.