ISIS media unit Wafa Foundation continues to threaten 2018 FIFA WorldCup

An image of Lionel Messi shedding a tear of blood has emerged - apparently posted by a pro-IS group as a threat to the World Cup.

It shows the Barcelona star behind bars and wearing a prisoner's uniform with his name on.

The caption "just terrorism" appears below in what appears to be a mockery of Nike's "just do it" slogan.

It also features the words in Arabic: "You are fighting a state that does not have failure in its dictionary."

https://twitter.com/siteintelgroup/status/922863797928329216/photo/1

SITE, a group which monitors extremists' online activity, said it was posted by the "pro-#ISIS media unit Wafa' Foundation".

It comes days after other crudely doctored propaganda images emerged that also threatened next year's showpiece tournament in Russia.

One showed a man in combat dress standing next to a bomb and overlooking a stadium, along with the caption "the mujahideen's fire will burn you".

https://twitter.com/Rita_Katz/status/922903526891810816/photo/1

Rita Katz, head of the US-based extremist monitoring site, tweeted: "#FIFA18 a recurring topic among #ISIS supporters, w chatter & graphics threatening "enemies of Allah in #Russia"."

The terror group has a foothold in the Muslim-majority Chechyna region of Russia, but organisers of the tournament have promised the toughest security yet for a World Cup.

In January, the head of the country's National Anti-Terrorism Committee, Igor Kulyagin, told Russia Today "special attention" would be paid to protecting stadiums, team accommodation and training facilities.

He said the country would draw on its "huge experience" of protecting events such as the Sochi Olympics.

The World Cup runs from 14 June to 15 July 2018.