It’s nonsense to claim that Isis benefits from Brexit. But that won’t stop some people trying

While a storm has blown up between Nigel Farage and Brendan Cox this morning over the role played by Angela Merkel’s migrant policy in the Berlin Christmas market attack, the Today programme managed to find a man with a possible alternative explanation for the carnage: Brexit. Yes, really. This morning’s show ended with a man, introduced as a political scientist who has advised the French and German governments on counter-terrorism, offering the wisdom:

‘Brexit isn’t helpful…I mean so-called Islamic State were celebrating Brexit…we need to grow stronger, we need to find responses which are not only security-based , we need a common foreign policy.’

The idea that Islamic State ‘celebrated’ Brexit, and have been emboldened by it, is based on a post by Isis spokesman Abu Muhammad which appeared on the messaging service ‘Telegram’ on the morning of 24 June.