Isis a real threat in South Africa

The abduction of a prominent Cape Town couple‚ allegedly at the hands of a “cell” loyal to terror group Isis‚ has drawn back the veil on the threat of urban terror.

Political scientist Dr Hussein Solomon said the South African government had done “precious little” to monitor the local threat of terror groups.

The South African intelligence services “have ignored the problem. Just because we were not the ones going to Iraq or Afghanistan doesn't make us safe”.

The couple‚ whose names are known to Times Select but have been withheld for security reasons‚ are thought to have been kidnapped two weeks ago.

Police‚ as well as local and international intelligence agencies‚ have mounted a search for the elderly pair‚ both botanists‚ but no trace of them has been found.

-For more on this story‚ visit Times Select.