Francisco Martinez, Spain's state secretary for security, told parliament the terror group wants its enemies killed by any means possible - including using the virus
Islamic State is urging supporters to use Ebola as a chemical weapon to kill western civilians, according to a Spanish politician.
Francisco Martinez Vazquez, Spain's state secretary for security, claims the terror group will use any means possible to kill its enemies - including stabbing people with needles poisoned with the deadly virus.
He told Spanish parliament that would-be militants are using chat rooms to discuss terror attacks - including so-called 'lone wolf' attacks.
Martinez Vazquez said conversations he had witnessed identified 'many examples' of threats to use Ebola as a chemical weapon, and he is taking the threats seriously.
One conversation he referred to discussed the 'use of Ebola as a poisonous weapon against the United States', and in another, militants worked out the best way to use 'deadly chemical products' stolen from laboratories.
Here is where one of 'many' examples where the possibility of using 'poisonous injections' was allegedly suggested.
Mr Martinez then listed six benefits of a strong online presence, as identified by Islamic State:
- Threatening enemies through propaganda
- Preparing operations
- Exchanging information
- Ideological training
- Recruiting new members
- Acquiring finance
Earlier this month, US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said there was "no credible evidence" Islamic State using the Ebola virus to attack the US.
But around the same time experts also warned against the use of Ebola as a biological weapon in the UK - stating the terror group could send infected militants, sparking widespread outbreaks.
Capt Al Shimkus, of the US Naval War College, said: “Individuals exposed to the virus become carriers.
"It doesn’t take much sophistication to go to the next step and use terrorists as carriers.”
Professor Anthony Glees, of Buckingham University’s Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, said: “IS fighters believe in suicide and this is a potential job for a suicide mission.
"They are sufficiently murderous and well-informed to consider it.”
The World Health Organisation has branded the outbreak the “most severe acute health emergency in modern times”.
West Africa is the worst affected area. In Liberia, over 2,300 people have died, while in Sierra Leone and Guinea the death toll stands at nearly 1,000 each.
The deadly virus has also reached Nigeria, Senegal, Spain and the US but outbreaks have been contained so far.
