Bondi Beach Shooting Is a Reminder of ISIS’s Power to Inspire Attacks

A shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia, where a father and son killed 15 people celebrating a Jewish holiday, serves as a stark reminder of ISIS's enduring influence. This incident follows other recent events, including an attack in England where a Syrian-born British citizen drove a car into pedestrians and used a knife outside a synagogue during Yom Kippur. Furthermore, Polish authorities recently apprehended a law student suspected of planning an attack on a Christmas market.

Each of these individuals is alleged to have been a supporter of the Islamic State. Despite the significant degradation of its core organization, the terrorist group's ideology continues to motivate individuals to commit acts of violence.

While ISIS no longer controls vast territories as it did a decade ago in Iraq and Syria, its propaganda remains a potent tool for inspiring attacks. According to Colin P. Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst at the Soufan Group, the group's psychological impact allows it to project an image of strength and omnipresence that exceeds its actual capabilities. He cautions against using the term "resurgence," but emphasizes the group's continued ability to instill fear.

The Bondi Beach attack occurred shortly after a member of Syria's security forces killed two U.S. Army soldiers and an American civilian interpreter in Palmyra, Syria. President Trump attributed this attack to the Islamic State, and officials indicated that the gunman was already facing termination due to his extremist views.

Terrorism experts are concerned that the success of the Bondi Beach attack could encourage further extremist plots, particularly as the holiday season approaches and European Christmas markets become attractive targets. These types of lone-wolf attacks, which require minimal funding, are notoriously difficult to prevent due to their focus on vulnerable targets like large public gatherings.