Islamic State video threatens attacks inside Russia 'very soon'

"Soon, very soon, the blood will spill like an ocean," ISIS threatens in revenge for airstrikes on its fighters in Syria.

By REUTERS
A video grab made on October 15, 2015, shows an image taken from a footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an explosion after airstrikes carried out by Russian air force on what Russia says was an Islamic State facility in the Syrian province of (photo credit: AFP PHOTO)
A video grab made on October 15, 2015, shows an image taken from a footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an explosion after airstrikes carried out by Russian air force on what Russia says was an Islamic State facility in the Syrian province of
(photo credit: AFP PHOTO)
CAIRO - Islamic State has released a video threatening attacks in Russia "very soon," the SITE monitoring group said on Thursday.
Al-Hayat Media Center, Islamic State's foreign language media division, released a Russian language video with chants of  "Soon, very soon, the blood will spill like an ocean," SITE reported.
Islamic State has previously called for attacks on Russia and the United States in revenge for airstrikes on its fighters in Syria.
Western intelligence officials suspect the ultra-hardline Sunni group of planting a bomb in a Russian passenger airplane which crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula two weeks ago.
Russia is likely to increase its military involvement in Syria due to the widely assumed terrorist bombing of the plane that crashed in Sinai on October 31.
However, the consequences of such an escalation in Syria and perhaps elsewhere against Islamic State in the Middle East, is going to have to be weighed against the fallout – more attempts by the terrorist group to carry out attacks against Russia worldwide.
Israel would closely follow any changes in Russia’s involvement in Syria, as it may hamper its own maneuverability in the country.
Russia could also decide to sharply increase its support for Arab states and other proxy forces fighting against Islamic State. This could include the provision of military equipment and advisers, and even improved intelligence cooperation.
Such steps to boost its action against Islamic State would further move regional forces opposing the group toward the Russian camp and away from the US, which is seen as providing weak support.
Russian communications intercepted by US intelligence agencies show Russia believed the plane was brought down by a bomb, US sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.
All 224 passengers and crew were killed when Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed in the desert on the way from Sharm e-Sheikh to St. Petersburg.
Egypt and Russia have yet to formally announce the cause of the disaster. Both countries dismissed as premature US and British assessments last week that a bomb was likely responsible.
Ariel Ben Solomon contributed to this report.