by Aggelos Skordas
Greece might be among potential targets of jihadist terrorists, recruited by British-born Samantha Lewthwaite, also known as the “White Widow”, according to British tabloid newspaper Daily Star.
In an article “White Widow recruiting suicide bombers to attack Spanish beaches this summer”, the British daily indicates that popular summer destinations such as the Spanish Costas, Greece, Turkey, the Canary Islands and Cyprus have all been identified as potential targets of some 30 recruits of the 34-year-old alleged member of the Somalia-based radical Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab, and widow of 7/7 London terrorist bomber Germaine Lindsay.
The details are alleged to have come from encrypted emails, phone calls and via foreign intelligence services, the Daily Star reports, adding that British intelligence service MI5, believes fanatics from ISIS and al-Qaida plan to launch a so-called “spectacular” attack over the summer.
“One attack in a popular holiday destination will have a major impact on tourism. We have seen it in North Africa and in Egypt, where tourism is now almost dead. The White Widow hates Britain and everything the West stands for. She has completely turned her back on her country and her former life”, an unnamed source is quoted as saying to the British daily.
“She has mentored dozens of female terrorists and favours white converts to Islam because she feels they attract less suspicion by security services. She has convinced many female extremists that they need to sacrifice their lives if they want to be real servants to Islam. Lewthwaite preys on very vulnerable women who are easily manipulated. She surrounds herself with bodyguards and only trusts a handful of people – they are nearly all women, and that is why catching and killing her has proven so difficult”, same sources indicate.
The report has not been officially confirmed by British or Greek security forces.
Lewthwaite is the world’s most wanted female terrorist. She converted to Islam at the age of 17, adopted the Muslim name Sherafiyah and was radicalized by Jamaican-born and also a convert Germaine Lindsay (Abdullah Shaheed Jamal), who was among the four terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains of the London Underground and a bus during the 7 July 2005, London bombings. Lewthwaite is allegedly involved in numerous terrorist attacks.
