MANILA: The Islamic State group has threatened to attack the upcoming Miss Universe competition set to be held in the Philippines next year, media reports said.
A string of threats recently posted to the messaging app Telegram have called for local proponents of the group known as ISIS to carry out attacks at the beauty pageant, Fox News reported.
A Philippine Islamic State affiliate, which has posted a video calling for the event to be targeted, has suggested that an explosive belt or bomb be made especially for the beauty contest, reported SITE Intelligence Group .
“Philippines jihadi Telegram channel posted a video for making an explosive belt and suggested ‘Create bomb for Miss Universe,’” the group reportedly wrote on a Telegram Messenger group called “IS Philippines supporters,” according to SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks the online activity of extremist organizations.
The post reportedly contained a video on how to assemble a suicide belt and a D-I-Y on explosives in English.
The Miss Universe 2016 beauty contest is scheduled to begin in the Philippines on January 30, 2017 at a venue yet to be determined.
Founded in 1952, the pageant brings together women from around the world.
“We consider this as serious,” the tourism department of the Philippines has said. This was echoed by the national police, who said an intelligence group will be assigned to the event.
Filipino-German actress and model Pia Wurtzbach, who won the pageant in 2015 after a crowning mix-up, is expected to pass on the crown to her successor at the next contest.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump bought the entire stock of the Miss Universe Organization from US broadcast network NBC in 2015, the reports said.
