EU ministers to intensify counter-terrorism efforts
European Union interior ministers plan to put forward new solutions for countering terrorism following deadly terror attacks in the French capital city of Paris earlier this year.
The ministers are expected to come together later on Thursday in the Belgian capital, Brussels, to explore avenues and make it harder for terrorism suspects to travel abroad or return home unhampered.
The top officials would also highlight that the passports of everyone leaving or entering the 26-nation Schengen Area should be checked to ensure they are not stolen, forged or revoked.
Furthermore, individual travelers should come under special scrutiny if they meet high-risk criteria, which are still to be devised.
On January 7, the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine were attacked, leaving 12 people dead. The shooting assault was carried out by al-Qaeda affiliates.
Two days later, police ended a hostage-taking at a supermarket in the eastern Porte de Vincennes area of Paris, killing armed hostage-taker Amedy Coulibaly, who was also a suspect in the killing of a policewoman in southern Paris a day earlier. Coulibaly killed four hostages before his death.
A French policewoman and three others thought to have links with Coulibaly have been taken into custody and placed under formal investigation.
One of the arrested suspects, identified only as Amar, was arrested over drug charges in January, but data collected from his phone showed that he was near the supermarket just before the attack.
Police believe that Amar, a close friend of Coulibaly, may have been carrying out surveillance on the supermarket.
The arrested police officer is Amar’s partner, who was working at an intelligence center in the Paris suburbs. Police believe that she had access to Amar’s police file following the attacks and passed it on to him.
Police are currently questioning the two other people who had connections to Coulibaly.
A recent UN Security Council report said more than 15,000 militants with over 80 nationalities, including Americans and Europeans, have joined terrorist groups fighting the Syrian government.
Meanwhile, the Soufan Group, a New York-based intelligence firm, estimated in June 2014 that at least 3,000 militants of European origin have been active in several militancy-riddled regions across Syria.
US media reports say more than 100 American citizens have also traveled to Syria to fight the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
The latest figures come as American and European opponents of the Syrian government have voiced concern as militants appear to be biting the hand that has fed them.
MP/NN/HMV
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