Italian intelligence services: "Lions of the Balkans" in charge of attacks in Europe, their center is in Kosovo

The Italian intelligence services published a report according to which there are at least 20 jihadist cells in the Balkans, among which the "Lions of the Balkans" group stands out, with its "head" in Kosovo and cells in Albania and North Macedonia, RTV reports.

According to Blic, that group is designated as an "incubator of threats to Europe," and its task is to "strengthen the peripheral joints" of the terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS) in European cities.

This means the organization and realization of terrorist attacks on the Old Continent, the Belgrade newspaper writes.

As stated, the "head" of that group is in Kosovo and Metohija, while its cells and membership are located in Albania and among the Albanian population in North Macedonia.

Vlade Radulovic from the Center for Geostrategic Research and Terrorism says that cells, like the "Lions of the Balkans," are quite conspiratorial and often don't have many members at all – from five to eight people.

"Most often, these units do not have any communication with each other, but each one coordinates only with their superiors. The reason for this is that the intelligence services do not detect them and do not prevent them from their activities," Radulovic stated.

According to him, there is an axis of potential terrorists in the Western Balkans that attracts the most attention.

"That axis extends from Bosnia and Herzegovina through Sandzak, which includes Raska and part of Montenegro, toward Kosovo and Metohija, with branches in North Macedonia and Albania. According to the data of certain services, Wahhabis also exist among Roma and Ashkali, even in Belgrade, Smederevo, Novi Sad, Krusevac, and other cities," Radulovic said for Blic.

As he says, radical Islam uses small and poor communities to develop its ideology.