Staff reporter
Washington DC: April 2, 2026 — The Islamic State (ISIS) has issued a direct call in its weekly propaganda newsletter Al-Naba urging supporters to set fire to churches and synagogues across the United States, Europe, and other countries during the Easter holiday.
The latest edition, released Thursday, links the incitement to Israel’s closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during Ramadan. It states that Muslims should “rise up and set fire to the Jewish synagogues scattered across America, Europe, Russia, India, and elsewhere,” while extending the threat to churches as part of broader targeting of Christian and Jewish sites over Easter and Passover.
The propaganda also claims ISIS carried out 15 operations causing around 60 casualties in the past week and names additional countries including the UAE, Syria, Tunisia, and Morocco. ISIS, which lost its territorial caliphate years ago, continues to inspire lone-actor attacks through online propaganda. The group has a history of issuing similar calls for low-tech assaults — including arson, stabbings, and vehicle attacks — on places of worship, especially during Christian and Jewish holidays.
US and European authorities monitor such releases closely. While no specific credible plots tied to this call have been publicly reported, law enforcement typically increases patrols and security at religious sites during major holidays. Mainstream Muslim leaders and organizations have repeatedly condemned ISIS and its ideology as a distortion of Islam. Authorities urge heightened vigilance at churches and synagogues this weekend and ask the public to report any suspicious activity immediately.
