“Then Baghdadi asked each commander to bring in some of his fighters. Abu al-Atheer, the MSM commander, invited Belgian, Dutch, and French fighters who were under his command to the occasion.” Foreign Policy — August 16 2016

Three Belgian citizens — all from the city of Vilvorde — attended the April 2013 meeting during which ISIS was created. According to Belgian Newspapers — quoting the mayor of Vilvorde — these individuals were known as radical elements since 2012. The mayor said that one is dead and a second is rumored to be dead. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

UPDATE — Once again, Europeans are in shock. On Thursday 16:50 (14:50 GMT), a white Fiat van drives down Las Ramblas in central Barcelona, killing 13 people and injuring scores. A few hours later, a second vehicle attack took place in Cambrils.

“With IS coming under massive pressure in the Middle East, where its caliphate is shrinking by the day, its remaining leaders are more determined than ever to strike back at those countries they blame for the end of their brutal rule. So the onus will now be on governments to second guess where violent jihadists may be tempted to strike next and put measures in place to stop them.” [BBC]

INTEL TODAY understands that Belgium has officially opened an investigation into these attacks. Marc Trévidic — A former French anti-terrorism judge — has made a few cryptic comments about a possible link. He stated that the links between Islamic terrorists in Belgium and Spain have been documented since 1990. — END of UPDATE

Among the foreigners who personally met Baghdadi and pledged allegiance were Abu Sayyaf, known as “the slayer”; Abu Zubair, a Belgian jihadi; Abu Tameema al-Fransi, a French jihadi killed in July 2014; and Abu Shishan-al-Belgiki, a handsome blond jihadi with a Chechen background wanted in Belgium, his home country, for possible participation in beheadings.

Magomed Saralapov — alias Abu Shishan al-Belgiki

Nabil Azahaf — alias Abu Sayyaf

Zakaria Asbai — alias Abu Zubair

REFERENCES

Present at the Creation — The never-told-before story of the meeting that led to the creation of ISIS, as explained by an Islamic State insider — FP August 16 2016

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ISIS: 3 Belgian Citizens at the ‘Creation’ Meeting

One Year Ago — ISIS: 3 Belgian Citizens at the ‘Creation’ Meeting