Either Europe watches its external borders better or it will suffer a new wave of terrorism

The recent attacks in Nice, Lyon and Vienna have once again sounded the alarm, leading governments and multilateral organisations to wonder whether we are not facing a new wave of terrorism, the first spearhead of which would be these attacks. Among the many seminars and think-tanks that study, debate and examine facts and evidence, the one organised online by the Europe-Israel Press Association, which has brought together three of the world's leading counter-terrorism specialists from its Brussels headquarters, is very relevant.

Yoram Schwitzer, who heads the programme on terrorism and low-intensity conflicts in Israel, is convinced that last month's attacks will encourage many people, lone wolves or not, to emulate them. Author of the report on Salafist jihadists and the coronavirus pandemic, Schwitzer believes that Daesh's potential for action in the West has not diminished, and that he is capable of surprising people by attacking countries such as Austria, which were not considered susceptible to attacks, in front of the most exposed : France, the United Kingdom and Germany, not forgetting Spain and Italy. 

This view was shared by Frenchman Jean-Charles Brisard, founder and President of the European Centre for the Analysis of Terrorism. The former chief investigator and expert for the lawyers of the victims of 11 September 2001, believes that we still face the same threats as before the defeat of the Daesh in Syria and Iraq. The liberation and repatriation to their countries of origin of those who went to train and fight in these scenarios require redoubled vigilance, which often comes up against the most protective laws of liberties in the world. 

Brisard, author among many other books revealing the "Forbidden Truth: the secret oil diplomacy of the United States and the Taliban", puts the number of terrorists on the lists of suspects of the European intelligence services at 60%, who end up consuming terrorist actions. He felt that biometric technology was essential for recognising individuals capable of committing attacks, but that its implementation was extremely difficult within the European Union, unlike, of course, powers such as China, which already controlled almost its entire population. 

Comparative data from this and other institutes also show that 60% of radicalised Islamists are prepared to repeat their terrorist actions once they have been released and repatriated. 

Atalayar introduced into the debate the impact that camouflaged jihadists can have on illegal emigration, a phenomenon that is intensifying this year, with the Canary Islands being one of the destinations within reach of those who have lost their livelihoods due to struggles in the Sahel, and who are turning the south of Tenerife into a new Lampedusa. The governments of the countries in this Saharan strip have failed to contain the expansion of the jihadists. The government of Mali freed 180 people accused of belonging to jihadist groups, forced to pay this price to save politician Soumaila Cissé, who had been kidnapped by the Al Qaeda branch in the country. 

The danger of Islamist fighters mingling with economic migrants and asylum seekers is increasingly evident, according to the speakers. The most recent case is that of the Chechen who arrived in France as a refugee less than a year ago and who beheaded high school teacher Samuel Paty after showing Charlie Hebdo's cartoons of Mohammed in a course on freedom of expression. 

Necessary surveillance of radical Islamist cells, environments and individuals is urgent, according to German Hans-Jakob Schindler, former coordinator of the UN Security Council's monitoring unit for Daesh, al-Qaeda and the Taliban. It is a task that not all governments, and even multilateral agencies, are able to accomplish given the current dizzying developments. 

The means of communication and the tremendous expansion of social networks have made it the preferred means of contact for terrorists. French investigations have already amply demonstrated that the perpetrators of the attacks are in close contact with Africa, from where they receive orders and instructions, originally located in Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mali or Morocco. 

All this makes Europe a vulnerable territory, requiring highly sophisticated surveillance work, but above all prevention work that requires resources and training that are currently lacking in sufficient quantity.  One of the EU's greatest achievements is the freedom of movement within the Schengen area. However - analysts agree - if Europe is not able to strengthen its external borders, it will fall victim to a new wave of terrorism, which will once again lead to the reappearance of internal borders as a populist, albeit ineffective, solution and ultimately erode one of its citizens' greatest achievements.