A newly identified terrorist organization, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya (The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right), has claimed responsibility for four attacks on Jewish targets across Europe last week. The group is suspected of having ties to the Iranian regime.
Sequence of Attacks Across Europe
The attacks began on Monday with an explosive device detonated at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium. On Friday night, an arson attack targeted a synagogue in Rotterdam, Netherlands, followed by an explosive device set off at a Jewish school in Amsterdam the next evening. Additionally, sources have connected an attack on a Jewish site in Greece on Wednesday to the group, although details about the specific target or attack method have not been disclosed.
Security Analysis and Alleged Iranian Links
Joe Truzman, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted initially that the group’s early communications appeared “amateurish,” but subsequent videos and activity suggested a more coordinated effort. He indicated the ongoing conflict in Iran may have motivated the group’s activism. Truzman suspects the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) might be directing the group, citing the IRGC’s established presence in Europe and history of targeted violence against dissidents.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the group as “a jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy” and highlighted the IRGC’s role in sponsoring terror globally. The World Jewish Congress and Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli have warned that this activity is part of a broader expansion of Iran-linked terror networks into Europe, targeting Jewish communities.
Security Concerns and Responses
All attacks have occurred at night so far, but experts caution that future incidents could become more sophisticated or occur in crowded settings. The dissemination of the group’s attack videos online is raising concerns about encouraging further antisemitic violence across Europe.
Israel’s National Security Council has advised its citizens traveling abroad to avoid sites identified as Jewish or Israeli and to conceal identifying items, following recent attacks on Jewish institutions in multiple countries. The U.S. Department of State has not publicly confirmed tracking or any travel warnings related to Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya as of this writing.
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