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Europe must unite to end terror - -

By Gijs de Vries

Europe must unite to end terror
By Gijs de Vries
Published: November 29 2004

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"EUTerrorism, which hit Spain so brutally earlier this year, continues to threaten European security. No country can consider itself immune. European Union member states have therefore been strengthening their defences. Their increased co-operation is bearing fruit. Plots have been disrupted and terrorist suspects arrested.

Spain and France have dealt ETA, the Basque separatist group, a crippling blow. In support of its members, the EU has taken several initiatives. The European arrest warrants and joint investigation teams are proving practical tools in the fight against terrorism. The threat analysis centre taking shape in Brussels is contributing to better intelligence-sharing.

From 2005, the new European Borders Agency will assist national authorities in protecting the EU's 6,000kms of land borders and its 85,000kms of maritime borders. Biometric identifiers will make it less easy to commit fraud with European passports. Eurojust, the EU body set up to reinforce the fight against organised crime, and Europol, which helps co-ordinate cross-border law enforcement, are helping police and prosecutors take on terrorism.

One of the challenges will be improving relations with Islam across the world, and especially within Europe. Confronting intolerance across religious divides and promoting mutual respect, essential for democratic citizenship, provide a barrier against terrorism. Recent clashes between Muslims and non-Muslims in the Netherlands following the murder of Theo van Gogh, the Dutch film-maker, highlight the urgent need for European countries to face these issues.

In December, the European Council will consider new measures to make European counter-terrorism more effective. Priority areas have been identified. Timely and accurate intelligence is essential to prevent and punish terrorism. The need to exchange information across borders figures prominently in the Hague Programme, which is looking at setting up a common asylum policy for member states, and several initiatives to ease information exchange are before the Council.

Combating terrorist financing is a key task. Controls on money-laundering and cash transfers are being strengthened, and additional proposals will be presented shortly by Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief and secretary-general of the European Council, and the European Commission. Other proposals will focus on protecting the population and vital infrastructure against biological, chemical, radiological and other terrorist attacks.

A strong global coalition is necessary. Countries must strengthen their legal and administrative capacities. Two-thirds of the world's states have a long way to go. Of the 191 members of the United Nations, only 57 have ratified all 12 main UN Conventions against terrorism, and 47 are parties to fewer than six. To improve global defences against terrorism, these conventions need to be implemented and ratified. The EU will create a network of national experts to respond to requests from third countries for training and assistance.

Synergy between EU counter-terrorism assistance and member states' bilateral aid projects is being improved. The European Council has appealed to the European Commission to increase its funding for terrorism-related assistance. The EU has made the commitment to act against terrorism an important element of its international agreements with countries elsewhere in the world.

International co-operation is necessary to prevent terrorists obtaining weapons of mass destruction. The EU is working to support international compliance with the biological and toxic weapons convention and is co- operating closely with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Regional conflicts, bad governance and poverty can provide fertile ground for recruitment into terrorism. The EU's efforts to promote social and political rights and to secure regional stability, for instance through its €250m ($330m)African Peace Facility, are important components of Europe's fight against terrorism.

The absence of peace in the Middle East continues to fuel radical propaganda. To get the Israeli-Palestinian peace process back on course must therefore be a central component of any strategy to combat terrorism.

The EU does not believe in a clash of civilisations - the concept fundamentalists are peddling. It rejects any automatism in linking Islam and terrorism. However, the disaffection and grievance felt by many Muslims contribute to a climate that is dangerous and that fanatics exploit. It is important for the EU to strengthen its links with moderate and modernising Muslims in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia on the basis of a shared commitment to democratic values. This is equally important for relations between Muslims and non-Muslims within Europe. Democracies cannot afford to tolerate intolerance. Europe urgently needs to counter both the radicalisation and the marginalisation of young Muslims.

European governments have recently started to compare national experiences. The incoming European Commission will no doubt want to support them in identifying best practices. The fight against terrorism is one which involves all - Muslims and non- Muslims - who cherish a life lived in freedom, including the right to live free from fear. It is essential for them to join forces and deny al-Qaeda the conflict it is seeking to foment.

The writer is the European Union's counter-terrorism co-ordinator



    
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