ISIS supporters on a Portuguese-language message board have been discussing attacks in the region as Brazilian officials prepare for a massive influx of Olympic athletes and fans.
The Summer Olympics begin Aug. 5 and run through Aug. 21.
A new Telegram channel, Ansar al-Khilafah Brazil, appeared today, declaring itself an ISIS cell in Brazil that had pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “If French police couldn’t stop France attacks, then their training Brazil’s police will serve no use,” said a message on the new channel. But the administrator later posted that it was just a messaging channel with one person reposting ISIS news in several languages.
ISIS has been offering its regular propaganda channel in Portuguese along with English, French, German, Russian and other languages in target areas.
Portuguese and Brazilian media revealed last month that Ismail Abdul Jabbar al-Brazili, also simply known as “The Brazilian,” was attempting to recruit his countrymen for the Islamic State. He was said to be employing several different social media accounts to reel in would-be jihadists, and has said he was recruited by late American jihadist Abu Khalid al-Amriki.
In an online forum uncovered by anti-ISIS hackers Binary Sec, a July 11 post to fellow “brothers” notes that someone was “wanting to find al-Brazili within 3 weeks… wants to find the recruiter” — a timetable that coincides with the Olympics’ opening week. The poster mused whether this person was a spy and posted his Telegram information.
Binary Sec hackers also flagged a June 18 post with a photo of an AK-47 resting against a carpeted backdrop. “We are expecting a larger audience, will be soon, the blood of sinners will fall and we will show the real power of God,” read the accompanying text.
And the poster, going by the name “Wolf,” also showed an unidentifiable objecting burning on a concrete surface, talking about “improvisation” with explosive material. “There are many dealers selling fireworks, if you have knowledge, prepare some explosions for the big day.”
Binary Sec identified the user as originally being from the U.S. and now acting as a weapons man for ISIS in Brazil.
“In just two months got a gun here, you do not need much,” he writes. “…Some of these suppliers are on our side, we have plenty of resources for our actions.”
In a June 17 post, he says “we will be in the region of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, we need to gather more, all have their opportunity to serve our Lord, even if you want to be a wolf.”
Another post from the same day by a different username shows a photo of an automatic weapon against what looks like a dark bed comforter. “We have a reliable supplier and that is on our side. The weapons transport will be in Rio de Janeiro to Curitiba” — an 11-hour drive down the coast. A pale-complexioned man’s hand holds a barrel in another close-up photo: “The acquired material, all still without scraping and good quality. The number of shots, according to the source, is 72, great news for us.” An AK drum magazine can hold 72 rounds.
The poster named “Wolf” replies: “I believe that one of our prepared group could launch an attack so get the party times.”
Binary Sec told PJM that they have reported these findings to the proper authorities. CONTINUE AT SITE