Irish cops involved in Islamic State arrest operation

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Niall Feiritear

An Garda Síochána and Europol have coordinated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to arrest a number of Islamic State suspects in Europe.

The week-long operation targeted the so-called Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and its support networks across Europe.

The ISKP is a significant threat in jihadi terrorism, with its networks in Europe posing "major concern," according to Europol.

The initiative, organised by Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) brought together investigators to exchange real-time intelligence, disrupt terrorist networks, and reinforce cross-border cooperation.

From 1 to 5 June 2026, the operation focused on ISKP-affiliated individuals of Chechen and Central Asian origin, identified through shared investigative leads.

The collaboration and cross-referencing of information across continents allowed for accelerated detailing of ISKP travel routes spanning Europe, South America, and the United States.

The close cooperation yielded immediate results after Europol swiftly responded to an urgent intelligence request via SIENA (Secure Information Exchange Network) over the weekend, which allowed authorities to arrest several suspects.

Throughout the week, over 100 gigabytes of operational information had been exchanged, enabling the full identification of several suspects and advancing multiple high-stakes investigations.

Europol embedded dedicated analysts with each participating delegation to identify critical investigative overlaps, facilitate bilateral meetings, and resolve blind spots in ongoing cases.

The European Cybercime Centre supported Member States in tracking cryptocurrency trails, while the European Financial Crime Centre provided expertise on financing networks.

Specialised tools from the Europol Tool Repository by the Europol Innovation lab was also deployed to enhance capabilities.

"This operation underscores Europol’s strengthened global partnerships in counter-terrorism, highlighting the agency’s commitment to disrupting threats through coordinated, intelligence-driven action.

"By bridging national borders, the action week reinforced operational trust, mapped ISKP activities in Europe, and demonstrated the critical role of international collaboration in combating terrorism," Europol said in a statement.

Sidestream news has contacted Gardai for a statement. More to follow.

Countries involved in the operation:

• Belgium: Federal Judicial Police (Federale Gerechtelijke Politie)

• Czechia: Czech National Police (Policie České republiky)

• Germany: State Criminal Police Office Lower Saxony (Landeskriminalamt Niedersachsen)

• Finland: National Bureau of Investigation (Keskusrikospoliisi)

• Italy: Italian National Police (D.C.P.P.)

• Ireland: An Garda Síochána

• Spain: Guardia Civil, National Police (Policía Nacional)

• United States of America: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)