LONDON – Britain’s counter-terror chief warned Monday that the Islamic State group wants to launch “enormous and spectacular attacks,” as jihadis broaden their focus to target Western lifestyles.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley told reporters that while IS once struck primarily at symbols of the state, such as military and police targets, the group is now planning for broader violence, like November’s attacks in Paris.
READ MORE: EU police warn more attacks by Islamic State militants likely
“You see a terrorist group which has big ambitions for enormous and spectacular attacks, not just the types that we’ve seen foiled to date,” Rowley said at a briefing in London.
Rowley stressed that police have no information about such an attack targeted at the U.K. but said authorities should plan for all eventualities.
Rowley said IS is no longer content to simply radicalize people through propaganda, but is “trying to build bigger attacks.” He added that the group is also trying to bring jihadis trained in Syria into northern Europe to launch strikes.