TERROR ATTACK AND LACK OF COORDINATION IN COUNTER TERRORISM

European Union created more or less border less Europe. Sarcastically, terror activities also went border less within European continent!

- Keerthiraj

Since independence India continuously raised concerns over terrorism at global level. But the self-proclaimed caretakers of world peace i.e. United States and European nations always considered India’s concern as a silly complaint! Unfortunately, terrorist activities happening in Indian soil were the funniest subject for global powers. Finally, United States realized What India experienced since decades, only when al-Qaeda hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001! After this incident numerous efforts taken place in the world to overcome terrorism, but rising terror threats proved counter terrorism is not a complete success. In each stage of history, world remembers one most infamous name among various terrorist organizations. Then Al-Qaeda, Now Islamic State!

Last week in Brussels attack, the Islamic State militants have killed more than thirty people and left some others with serious injuries. By doing this, Islamic State terrorists created fear and anxiety among Europeans. This is not the first terrorist attack in Europe and in fact Europeans have historical connections of Jihad and Crusades. Even in twentieth century, Madrid bomb attacks left 193 people dead in 2004, the London attacks in July 2005 damaged the lives of 52 people and a very recent Paris attack in November last year killed 130. European Union, with the membership of 28 European countries, earned the reputation of world’s most successful and effective regional organization. More or less borderless European nation-state systems, added to this privilege. Sarcastically, terror activities also went borderless within European continent!

After Brussels attack, Europe has seen a lot of changes. In Paris, French police arrested a man, suspecting his involvement in Paris attacks. Last Friday Belgian police detained a man linked with Brussels attack. German police also arrested two persons on the basis of their mobile messages. The rapid pace of police operations in the three countries, created a new stir in the war against Islamic State. There is no doubt about the efficiency of European police system. But a row of terrorist attacks on European continent since 15 years, proved lack of cooperation and coordination within European police system.

According to a report by Turkish authorities, Ibrahim el Bakraui one among the two suicide bombers responsible for Brussels attack, was detained and later deported by Turkey. Turkish authorities also collected information regarding the intension of Bakraui  to join Islamic state. Turkey shared intelligence report in this regard with Belgian police authorities. Shockingly, the whole of Belgian police system failed to make use of these details! It is very clear that European powers failed to coordinate anti-terrorist efforts. Not only in continental level, even within the country Europeans lacked integration and mutual trust between police and intelligence agencies. Current European defense system remembers how the lack of coordination between US internal and external intelligence forces i.e. FBI and CIA resulted 9/11 Al Qaeda attacks in 2001. But immediately after this incident, US realized its mistakes and genuinely tried to find a solution. The presence of mind showed by Americans is really a lesson in the way of Counter Terrorism. 

The Islamic State appears differently from other terrorist organizations. Before fighting against enemy we should know about enemy. World Counter terrorism considered Islamic state as a mere terrorist group. Counter terrorism against Islamic state will fail till we know what exactly Islamic state is? Lack of coordination among world powers is the main capital of the Islamic State. To find a solution to Islamic state terrorism world need to be coordinate their efforts. And importantly we should rule out the difference between good terrorism and bad terrorism.

 KEERTHIRAJ (krj492@gmail.com)

·   Currently serving as a Faculty for International Relations and Political Science at Alliance University, Bangalore. 

      (This article was published in Central Chronicle newspaper on 31 March 2016)