France’s Anti-Terrorism Journey: Responding to Threats and Safeguarding Security After the Paris Attacks
France announced a state of emergency on the evening of November 13, 2015, after the fatal terror attacks on French soil in modern history left 130 people killed in the Paris region. The government moved through fresh anti-terror laws, giving police and intelligence agencies extended powers, as the country met a wave of further attacks […]
Spain’s Post-2004 Madrid Bombing: A Response to Terrorism
On March 11, 2004, ten bombs on four separate commuter trains in Madrid exploded almost simultaneously. The blasts killed 191 and wounded at least 1,400 people, and left a nation trembling with grief and doubt. While the conservative Popular Party government of José María Aznar accused Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), the police investigation quickly suggested […]
Germany’s Counterterrorism Battle: The Reichsbürger Network
The largest counterterrorism episode in the history of Germany took place on December 7, 2022. It was executed against a network of Reichsbürger (Citizens of the Empire) named the Patriotic Union. More than 3,000 police officers, including SWAT units and special forces, searched apartments, homes, and offices in 11 of the 16 German federal states. […]
Counter Daesh: Germany’s Role in the Fight Against ISIL
The German intervention against the Islamic State, codenamed “Operation Counter Daesh,” was approved on 4 December 2015. The involvement of the country in the Syrian Civil War and the War in Iraq started with the Bundeswehr assignment in Syria and Iraq to fight the terrorist organization Islamic State. The mission was primarily designed as a […]
France’s Vigorous Approach to Countering Terrorism: A Crucial Global Partner
France is a crucial partner of the US in the global fight against terrorism. Bilateral U.S.-France counterterrorism cooperation is essential. France is a longstanding and vital Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS members. The terrorist threat in France remained heightened. Security services are worried by lone-actor attacks performed by individuals already in France, including those motivated […]
EU’s Response to Terrorism: A Holistic Approach Towards Security and Prevention
Terrorist attacks across the world reveal the extent of the unabated danger citizens face from all forms of violent extremism. The terrorist threat is manifold and geographically diffuse. It remains essential, complex, and unpredictable. The challenges that require action by the EU and its partners are numerous. Threats arise from the risk of radicalization and […]
Tackling Terrorism in France: Legislation and Enforcement
France is a key player in the global fight against terrorism. France is also a longstanding and important member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. The terrorist threat in France remained elevated. Security services were affected by lone-actor attacks carried out by individuals already in France, including those motivated by or affiliated with ISIS. […]
The Evolution of German Counter-Terrorism Policy
Since the 1972 Olympics in Germany, counter-terrorism—the use of military, law enforcement, intelligence, and other aids to identify, avoid, and neutralize terrorist groups within a country—has been among the top security concerns in Berlin. On September 5, 1972, eight terrorists entered a flat building that accommodated the Israeli delegation to the Olympics. By the time […]
EU’s Role in Combating ISIL: Strategies and Collaborative Efforts
ISIL is a major security threat to the EU and its member states, as well as to the region. While the primary obligation of dealing with this threat lies with the member states, the EU can and should play a supporting and active role. The European Council realised that the rise of the Islamic State […]
The Council of Europe’s Role in Countering Terrorism Responsibly
Terrorism forms a real threat to democracy, the rule of law and the enjoyment of human rights in Europe. As such, it must be contrasted through prevention and eradication by the member States of the Council of Europe. However, inadequately implemented or overly Draconian counter-terrorism efforts can be counterproductive. While law enforcement procedures aimed at […]