ISIS on Europe’s doorstep

The call was simple, but it changed what an already dark business meant for one smuggler.

Abu Walid knew his caller to be a devout man, a member of ISIS. And his request was chilling. Could he ship 25 of his people from Libya to Europe on a small boat for $40,000?

Abu Walid — not his real name — declined. But it is a request that's becoming increasingly common, in the past two months.

ISIS is trying to infiltrate this trade to get their people to Europe from the chaotic and near-failed state of Libya as the route from Turkey to Greece becomes more heavily policed.

"Exploitation of migrant smuggling networks by ISIS in North Africa has only been a matter of time … the U.S. and Europe need to act quickly, and together," a Western diplomat told.

Abu Walid's experiences were backed up by two Libyan police officials, who said they had found ISIS militants trying to get to Europe.

He also heard of a recent case of 40 Tunisian ISIS members leaving from the militant stronghold of Sirte. Thwarted by bad weather, they tried again ten days later. He didn't know if they made it.

A senior Libyan military intelligence official in Misrata, Ismail Shukri, said that ISIS militants sought to disguise themselves by traveling with "their families, without weapons, as normal illegal immigrants."

"They will wear American dress and have English language papers so they cause no suspicion."

European officials insist they're trying to be better prepared. A senior EU counter-terrorism official told there were more Europol officers working at potential "hotspots" of entry for migrants.

Still, the prospect of such an influx is a nightmare for Europe.

"If confirmed it is indeed very alarming. It is not one or two trying to move — it seems more organized,".