The concept of countering terrorism is distinctive in different European states. Every state has its own culture of terrorism, extremism and violence. No doubt, their counter terrorism strategies are based on cultural and social principles, but recent violent acts of terrorism in Norway, France and Britain raised some questions. War in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, Syria and Pakistan has put under pressure the whole security infrastructure in the region as hundreds of professional criminals and terror elements entered the region.
The emergence of Sectarianized and ethicized mind and thought in various European states, specifically, in the United Kingdom and France, compelled these two nations to introduce new laws and strategies to tackle the issue peacefully, but extremists and sectarian elements want to accomplish their religious and political agenda through violent means. Terror related incidents in Britain and the recent attack in France diverted the attention of European Union to the point that home-grown extremist groups needed to put under strict surveillance.
What agenda Muhammad Merah wanted to accomplish in France is not known, but one thing is clear, he was brainwashed outside France. Other European nations also felt danger and started arresting individuals related to terror networks. In Germany, Netherlands, Norway and Britain, the same reaction was shown.
The United Kingdom is under threat from home-grown extremist and international terrorist networks. The incidents that occurred in 2011 and the recent court decision against some violent extremist elements can be classified as a new wave of subversion.
The August 2011 and other incidents raised public concern and endangered the social transformation process in the country. Research institutions and newspapers carried out surveys and research article to identify the causes of unrest and the campaign of kill and burn. The government planned to arrest more than 20,000 criminals and extremist elements to make sure the security of the Olympic and Paralympics in 2012.
There is numerous terror networks operating in the region. The PKK, BLA, Taliban, al-Qaeda, Lashkare-e-Taiba, Afghani, and Pakistani, Bangladeshi extremist groups, Boko Haram, Al-Shabab and many other extremist and sectarian groups are operating with their own agendas. According to some recent reports, PKK is a mafia group that runs the business of drug and arm trafficking in Europe. A recent U.S report termed PKK as an octopus-like structure carrying out criminal activity, including drug and people smuggling to raise funds and provide cover to the group terror networks across Europe.
The PKK also has a vast European propaganda machine and fundraising network which includes four television channels, two agencies, thirteen radio channels and dozens of newspapers and periodicals. Lashkar-e-Taiba, Al-Shabab, Taliban and Boko Haram have their own secret networks in Europe and the United Kingdom. They collect millions of Pounds every year from business communities. French Interior Ministry announced the deportation of five Muslim extremist on February 2, 2012.
The question is, experts say, deportation is not the solution; the solution is to bring some changes in foreign and internal policies and introduce an effective law of tolerance and race relations. What Europol has done so far and how it deals with the issues of extremism in Europe is the main question.
The intelligence networks of various states do not co-operate with each other in a proper way. They do not provide all necessary information to each other's agencies. The way, Euro law enforcement agencies and Europol's operational coordination centre and secure information centre carry out more than 12,000 cross border investigations each year is no more effective.
Terror and extremist networks are there, PKK is there, al-Qaeda is there and Boko Haram is very much there. The other ways of sharing information include; First Response Network, European Explosive Ordinance Disposal Network and the Euro Bomb Data System have produced no fruitful result. The latest TE-SAT Report revealed that terrorism continues to impact the lives of Euro citizens.
France is under threat from extremist networks, because of the country's recent hostile policies and law against Muslim veil and schools. French citizens are travelling to war zones and take part in civil wars in Africa and Asia, receive training from terrorist and extremist organizations and return to their country with new ideas, new sects and new messages.
On their return, they use their skills and encourage others to follow their violent way. In February 2011, French newspaper published classified documents of the country's counter intelligence agency which revealed the existence of 100 European nationals in Pak-Afghan border area. Out of those 100 European, 14 were French while citizens of Italy and Belgium were also receiving military training there.
In Netherlands, terror threat is largely intertwined with international threat because the main focus of terrorists is to target specific places. The threat of extremism is still real in Netherland. The issue of race relations in the country is more complicated. Racism has created more problems for the law enforcement agencies of the country. Jihadist recruitments in Netherland over the past few years have proved that extremist and terror groups have roots in the country.
With concerns about the radicalization of Muslim youth on the rise, European governments, starting in the mid-2000, started various programs to counter the perceived terror threat. In the U.K., for example, significant funds were poured into a wide range of counter-radicalization efforts, such as the Preventing Violent Extremism program, which provides interfaith educational programs and funding for other initiatives aimed at building up the credibility of moderate interpretations of Islam in the eyes of Muslim youth.
The nature of the terror threat in Netherland and other European states do reflect the struggle of homegrown extremist groups seeking to carry out attacks in various states, target government installation and religious places. Netherlands intelligence agency (General Intelligence and Security Service), formerly know as BVD has established an organized network across the country. The agency normally focuses on national security threats, while the country military intelligence (Military Intelligence and Security Service-MIVD) focuses on international terrorism.
Some reports indicate that government in Netherlands wants to tackle radicalization peacefully among youths by promoting the concept of shared citizenship and strengthening social ties among communities. Extremist groups created much hurdle for the police in 2009 by sending some white powder letters, assault and threats.
As in UK, Netherlands recognizes the threat of jihadism as a national security threat. In 2002, when two Moroccans origin Netherland's Muslim citizens were killed by Indian army in Kashmir, intelligence agency (AIVD) reported the recruitment of Muslims for jihad on Netherlands soil. There are various Muslim communities living in the country. Sunni Turks, Alavi Shia, Wahabi, Tablighi Jamaat, Al-Dawa, Salafi and the followers of other sects are living with full religious practice.
The current strategies of the government in Netherlands to prevent extremism are week and focusing only on disrupting the networks. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, all European extremist groups have representation in Taliban networks. A year ago, German extremist networks had the representation of two hundred fighters.
Britain's home grown extremist returning from Middle East, Gulf, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh are posing a growing "lone wolf" threat to the security of the country. In July 2011 government announced the revised prevent strategy with three objectives. The main target of the strategy is to challenge ideologies that support terrorism and those who promote it.
European police has already reported the arrival of more than 700,000 radicalized people in Europe from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Maghreb, Syria, West Bank, Gaza, Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, Yemen and Somalia. In Sweden, there are more extremists who actively support terrorism in other states, through various means. As these groups have frequently stated that they will launch a large scale attacks, there is more possibility that these attacks will be carried out by their trained members.
In my understanding, organized criminal gangs in the country are overtly or covertly facilitating international terror groups by providing them with legal documents in Britain and, therefore, every year, Britain faces up to 9,000 cases of passport fraud. This is a reported figure; unreported figures might be over twenty thousands.
In near future, cyber terrorism and economic jihad will ultimately target all Britain state institutions as it has been a driving force behind the modernization of Russia, China and Indian economy and military industry. Terrorists may use computer not only to inflict damage in security infrastructure but to disrupt the whole communication system.
People in Pakistan and Afghanistan are deeply influenced by martyrdom and blow themselves willingly. There are suicide bombers recruitment academies in Waziristan region that recruit and produce numerous suicide bombers every year. The recent fixed price for the sale of a suicide bomber is from 10,000 to 15,000 US dollars. Every state, group and individual can purchase these and use bombers against their targets. These bombers are feared to enter European states in near future.