by Yaron Blum
Some Europeans still do not believe that such things can happen, and laws have still not been passed to enable the intelligence services to tackle the massive job awaiting them.
Three incidents in the
span of less than 24 hours -- the accidental explosion as bombs were
being prepared; the coordinated terrorist attack
in Barcelona; and, several hours later, the attempted suicide bombing
in the resort town of Cambrils -- are yet another reminder of how bad
the threat of terrorism can be.
Since 2013, when a
handful of fighters led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of al-Qaida in Iraq
established Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the terrorist organization
has prompted mad fantasies of a caliphate and Shariah law among some
young people, mainly those who match a very particular profile. Under
the guise of self-righteousness, Islamic State operatives proved
themselves to be barbarians in the areas they overran, mobilizing
Muslims and Muslim sympathizers from Europe who come from the criminal
underworld. These are people who have nothing to lose, some of whom came
to Middle Eastern battlefields and trained and fought next to their
brothers from Islamic State. Some of them went on to commit acts of
terrorism in their home countries. Others were simply pointed in this
direction in secret chat rooms on the Darknet.
Since 2015, Europe has
been facing a growing threat of terrorism, and it has suffered brutal
attacks. The wars in Syria and Iraq have sent a stream of immigrants,
among them terrorists, to Europe. In light of failures on the
battlefield, Islamic State has begun working on the weak underbelly of
Western countries through rammings, car bombings and suicide attacks.
The impending fall of
Islamic State will only bring more painful terrorist attacks everywhere
the group has sympathizers. Attacks like the ones in Spain bring about
copycat attacks, and raise the enthusiasm of those ready to accept
similar missions. The attacks will be shocking and cruel. There is
nothing stopping such murderous rampages, and the trend will become more
pronounced as Islamic State suffers defeats on the battlefield and
loses territory. Today, there are sleeper cells of operatives and
supporters in Europe, Africa, and other continents. They will shock and
surprise us. They have collected experience, they are fearless, and they
will act vengefully.
All this will continue
until operatives are cut off at the source by security agencies and are
dealt with in a framework of international cooperation, in the same way
that terrorist ideology crosses borders.
Unfortunately, most
European countries have yet to wake up to the issue and its solution. I
am writing this after an extended stay in several countries, including
during the last two weeks. To my chagrin, we do not see security forces
where they are needed. Some Europeans still do not believe that such
things can happen, and laws have still not been passed to enable the
intelligence services to tackle the massive job awaiting them. There is
still no security coverage for mass events and in public places, nor is
there enough coordination between intelligence and law enforcement
agencies -- police and other forces. The West must wake up, and the
sooner the better.
Yaron Blum is a former senior Shin Bet security service officer.
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=19727
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