The European Union and Islamist Terrorism

Abstract

Jihadist attacks perpetrated in Europe since the beginning of 2015 have shown that the threat of Islamist terrorism is in the heart of the continent. The expansion of the Islamic State (ISIS) has intensified the flow of Europeans traveling to Syria and Iraq and joining his ranks. At least, 30.000 foreign fighters from around the world have done this route in order to fight for the self-proclaimed "caliphate". In the absence of a common policy, the Governments of the Member States of the European Union are trying to coordinate counter-terrorism measures. The short-term goal is to prevent European citizens from traveling to the areas controlled by ISIS and to monitor closely those suspects of sympathizing with terrorist ideas as well as those that have return from areas controlled by ISIS. Increasing cooperation with the countries of the Maghreb and the Sahel is also one the main objectives. But in the long-term, it must be dismantled the narrative of Jihadists and promoted a greater integration of young Muslims living in Europe.