Israel soccer attack plotter killed in Syria – official

The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria killed a plotter of the thwarted attack at last year’s Israel-Albania soccer match in Albania, a US official says Thursday.

Lavdrim Muhaxheri was killed in a June 7 air strike near Mayadin, which is close to Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon says.

“He was an ethnic Albanian from Kosovo and a self-proclaimed leader of ISIS foreign fighters from Kosovo,” he says.

Albanian authorities have charged four people over allegedly plotting to attack the World Cup qualifier in Albania last November.

The game had been due to take place in the northern town of Shkodra but was eventually held in Elbasan, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the Albanian capital Tirana, under a massive security presence.

Dillon says Muhaxheri was “the most prominent and radical ethnic Albanian fighter” in Syria who was responsible for inciting jihadist ideology in Europe and encouraging foreign fighters to travel to IS-controlled territory.

Israel’s Eran Zahavi (center) celebrates after scoring a goal during the World Cup 2018 qualifier football match Albania versus Israel at the Elbasan Arena stadium in Elbasan on November 12, 2016. (AFP PHOTO / GENT SHKULLAKU)

— AFP