Extremist group claim their fighters are already in the heart of Europe

Flouting their terror credentials, with Rome’s Colosseum as the backdrop, ISIS supporters have posted photos purporting to show they are already in Europe and counting down ‘till the zero hour’.

The alarming images, published on Twitter, have emerged as Libyan intelligence claims that the Islamic State are exploiting the Mediterranean refugee emergency to send its fighters into the heart of Europe.

ISIS have made frightening inroads into Libya in recent months taking control of several cities including Sirte, Gaddafi’s birthplace.

Frightening: This picture, supposedly showing how ISIS fighters are in Rome, was shared on Twitter

Terror: The pictures taken by landmarks and in train stations were translated and shared by watch group SIte

Attack: Another set of images shows vehicles of Italian emergency services, showing the terrorists' boldness

Having executed dozens of Christians in several breathtakingly bloodthirsty attacks on the shores of the Mediterranean they then pointed their sabres toward Europe.

There have been growing fears that militants would take advantage of tens of thousands of migrants surging across the Mediterranean to send operatives to Europe.

Now it appears -they have already arrived.

The threatening photos apparently taken at landmarks and train stations in Italy show a piece of paper displaying the Islamic state logo and messages such as ‘ Islamic State in Rome. We are in your streets. ’

Threat: The latest posts are not the first time Rome, the home of Christianity, has been made a target

One ominous post was accompanied by the Arabic for ‘ #Islamic State in Rome. Now is observing and locating for the target. Waiting for the zero hour. ’

Some of the pictures show venues in Milan, including the city’s cathedral and the venues of the Expo exhibition in several others.

Police vehicles in the background of many of the pictures seem intended to further underline the would-be terrorists’ boldness.

However the authenticity of the posts, which were published and translated by the terror watch website Site, cannot be independently confirmed.

It is not the first time that the jihadist group have identified Rome, the home of Christianity, as a symbolic target. Previously the Islamic militants’ own magazine published a mock-up of the black flag of ISIS flying over St Peter’s square on the front page of their propaganda magazine Dabiq .

The pictures have emerged as the Libyan government warned that ISIS terrorists are on their way to Europe hidden amongst refugees.

Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa receive water as they wait at a detention centre in Tripoli, Libya. The country's authorities have warned that ISIS terrorists are on their way to Europe, hidden among refugees

Help: Migrants aboard a German navy frigate after they were rescued while on a smuggler ship in the Mediterranean. ISIS is believed to be using human trafficking to make money for its armed campaign

Minister of Information Omar al Gawari of the Tobruk elected government told Italian news agency ANSA: ‘In the next few weeks Italy will see the arrival of boats carrying not only poor immigrants from Africa but Daesh (IS).’

He appealed for an end to an arms embargo that would allow the Tobruk government to tackle human trafficking which he claimed was allowed by the rival Islamist government in Tripoli.

‘To combat terrorism the Libyans want the arms embargo lifted and they will pay with their own money to buy the necessary arms to restore peace and security in the country.’

While there are no plans to lift the arms embargo, the UK is expected to play a leading role in an EU naval operation against the trafficking organisations, at the same time striking a blow to one of the Islamic State’s most profitable funding mechanisms.

Abdul Basit Haroun an advisor to the Libyan government said the militant group was making millions from the trafficking trade while using it to smuggle their own men into Europe.

He told BBC Radio 5 live: ‘ They give permission for the boat owner to use the spot under their control and they charge them for that 50/50 of whatever they make.

‘They use the boats for their people who they want to send to Europe as the European police don’t know who is from IS and who is a normal refugee or not.

Rescued: Royal Marines help migrants disembark from an inflatable boat after being rescued around 40 miles off the coast of Libya. Britain is expected to play a leading role in an EU naval operation against trafficking

‘The boat owners have a list of who to take but some people come suddenly out of the list and they’re told take them with you. They sit down separately they come alone and in the boat they are not scared at all. They are for IS 100 per cent. ’

Aimen Dean a former member of Al Qaeda and security consultant said that IS offered would be migrants a chance to stay on and fight in Libya. He told the BBC: ‘The fact is that IS started this venture to smuggle Egyptians, Algerians, Tunisians, Syrians and Sub Saharan Africans shows how the group is utilising their strategic position in Sirte to generate income.’

EU border agency risk analysis for 2015 warned that with record numbers of migrants arriving resources are being used up covering their basic reception needs at the expense of security screening.

The report by Frontex said that foreign fighters who are not allowed to return home could use the trafficking networks’ boats to slip back into Europe.

‘After they are rescued they continue their journey to other member states and not knowing who is travelling within the EU is a vulnerability for EU internal security. ‘