Terrorist Threat in the Euro-Mediterranean Region (original) (raw)

Islamist Radicalisation the Challenge for Euro-Mediterranean Relations Edited by

The Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) is an independent policy research institute based in Brussels. Its mission is to produce sound analytical research leading to constructive solutions to the challenges facing Europe today. FRIDE is an independent European think tank based in Madrid that provides innovative thinking on Europe's role on the international stage; its core research interests include democracy, human rights, peace and security. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors writing in a personal capacity and do not necessarily reflect those of CEPS, FRIDE or any other institution with which they are associated.

THE ISLAMIC STATE AND EUROPE: EXAMINING HOW THE ISLAMIC STATE RADICALISES EUROPEAN CITIZENS

The growing numbers of terror attacks in Europe in recent times has made the concept of radicalization a sensitive phenomenon; most especially, Islamic radicalization, which leads to terrorism. Islamic radicalization has become a threat to peace and security of Europe and other hemispheres. The activities of Islamic extremists and terrorists have been identified with a good number of European citizens, who have joined the Islamic State (IS) and engaged in acts of terror against their own citizens and governments. Radicalisation has been used as a weapon by the Islamic State to recruit some European citizens as its members in order to perpetuate its objectives in Europe. The objective of this essay is to examine how the Islamic State has been able to radicalize some European citizens as its members and build its network across the continent. It seeks to critically analyse the influence of the Islamic State ideology on European citizens, which has consequently led and could further lead to the participation of some European citizens in terrorist engagements. This essay seeks to respond to the puzzle: how is it possible for the Islamic State to secure the interest of some Europeans into terrorism, considering the distance between Europe and the Middle East and the high standard of living as well as education that is available in Europe? In this essay, the relevance of the study is pointed in today Europe as far as peace and security development is concerned. This work maximizes secondary sources of data collection to investigate the study and its theoretical analysis is drawn from social network theory in order to shed more light on the discourse of the radicalisation of European citizens as the Islamic State members. Specifically, this essay discusses a brief origin and objectives of the Islamic State, the ideological perspectives of the group as well as channels of radicalizing European citizens.

Middle Eastern Terrorist Activity in Western Europe: A Diagnosis and Prognosis

Journal of Conflict Studies, 1986

Nidal group and those entities responsible for assassinating Libyan and Iranian dissident elements are more active in Western Europe. For example, 68% of the attacks attributed to the Abu Nidal group since 1973 have taken place in Western Europe, 2 while over 95% of the terrorist attacks directed at dissident Libyan exiles since 1980 have taken place in Western Europe. 3 Why this preference for Western Europe? What does this region offer that these groups cannot find in other regions such as Latin America, Africa, the Far East, North America, and, in some cases, even in the Middle East? There are five factors which make Western Europe an attractive operational area for Middle Eastern terrorist groups. 1. Western Europe provides these groups with a potential manpower pool which facilitates the building and maintenance of a logistical infrastructure. There are large communities of Palestinians and Arabs in most West European countries. This also includes the large student populations. Moreover, Middle Eastern businessmen and tourists frequently travel to Western Europe. This makes it easy for Middle Eastern terrorist groups to send in operational elements which can not only blend into the environment but can also receive logistical aid from sympathizers and in-country support elements. 2. Western Europe offers these groups geographic proximity and compactness, excellent transportation facilities, and relatively easy cross-border movement. In other words, it is easy to get to Western Europe and, once there, to move around between countries. 3. Western Europe offers these groups abundant, easy, and attractive targets. Middle East terrorists carry out attacks against three targeting sections: Israeli or Jewish, Western, and Arab or Palestinian. There is a large number of these targets in Western Europe. 4. Western Europe offers these groups immediate worldwide publicity when they carry out an attack in the region. The publicity spotlight is broader and brighter in Western Europe than in most other regions. With regard to the Middle East, attacks carried out by Middle Eastern groups in Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Libya receive little publicity because of the state-controlled press in these countries. In Lebanon, the level of political violence literally buries, from a publicity standpoint, all but the most spectacular and lethal incidents. 5. Western Europe provides these groups with a "substitute battleground" in which to carry out their intra-Palestinian and inter-Arab feuds. The majority of the attacks carried out by Middle Eastern terrorist groups are aimed at other Arab and Palestinian targets. The authoritarian nature of such states as Libya, Iran, Iraq, and Syria makes it difficult for these groups to operate effectively within these states. Israeli security

MIDDLE EAST QUARTERLY SUMMER 2014 The Islamist Threat to European Security

Growing Muslim populations in Europe affect European security in a variety of ways from changes in voting patterns and military recruitment; to the proliferation of Islamist groups espousing goals antithetical to Western values and interests; to the development of no-go zones where traditional Islamic law, or Shari‘a, is replacing Western law; to Islamist attempts to influence and exploit European policies toward conflicts in the Muslim world.

What ISIS' Defeat in the Middle East Means for Europe: Counter- Radicalisation in the EU

The Security Distillery, 2019

As ISIS has finally been defeated on the ground, losing its entire territorial control in the Middle East, some observers may underestimate ISIS as a continuing and viable adversary in the future for Western countries, especially for Europe given its proximity to the Middle East. Careful observation, however, suggests that ISIS is adapting to the new circumstances through maintaining a robust presence online and by posing new security challenges. In order to address these challenges, the European Union formulated a number of policies and discussed their efficiency in addressing extremism on European soil.

The Jihadist Threat to Europe: From Al Qaeda to the Islamic State

International Journal of Political Science, 2019

The article explores the radicalization of the Post 9-11 jihadist movement by comparing the far enemy strategy of Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. Progressively the jihadist movement has pursued a total war strategy that fuses near, far and sectarian enemies. Unlike Al Qaeda the Islamic State has pursued a Eurocentric far enemy strategy driven by sectarian animus toward Europe's Christian and secular traditions

Fighting terrorism and radicalisation in Europe's neighbourhood: How to scale up EU efforts: Lebanon

Fighting terrorism and radicalisation in Europe's neighbourhood: How to scale up EU efforts, 2018

This chapter focuses on the causes of violent extremism and violent radicalisation in Lebanon and the role of the European Union (EU) in supporting Lebanon’s efforts to counter this threat. The first part of the chapter focuses on demographics in Lebanon and how those living in deprived areas are most at risk of violent radicalisation. The second part looks at the violent radicalisation process, the response of the Lebanese government and the cooperation with the European Union. The conclusions present steps that could be taken by the Lebanese authorities and the European Union going forward.

Jihadi Terrorism in Europe: The IS-Effect

The article examines the extent to which Islamic State (IS) has affected jihadi terrorism in Europe. We look at the scope of attack activity, perpetrators and their networks, modus operandi and funding. For all the talk of a new threat we argue that, apart from scope, less is new than most assume. IS wants largely the same as al-Qaida did by attacking Europe. Their tactics are similar and their networks overlap in time and space. The core dynamics of the threat endure. It is premature to talk of a new paradigm in recruitment, but more terrorists are instructed online than before. Patterns in funding remain relatively stable, but there is an increase in plots financed from abroad. Despite military setbacks, IS remains a formidable terrorist actor, with territorial control, economic muscle and thousands of Europeans in its ranks. These things, combined with the group's skillful social media usage, are exhausting European security services' capacities. So is the refugee situation, which is exploited by IS to transfer personnel. If IS's territorial control persists, we foresee attempts at large-scale operations, including attempts at using improvised chemical or radiological devices. If IS continues to lose ground, small-scale attacks by single actors will become even more frequent.