As is now common practice, unfortunately seen on the negative side, acts of terrorism continue to flare up in every corner of old Europe, especially in the Member States of the European Union (EU). This haemorrhage of terrorist acts, which seems difficult to stop, such as migration, has pushed the EU to face this serious and distressing phenomenon of criminal character, perpetrated by the so-called solitary wolves following the indications of ISIS (Islamic State), an actor considered non-state, through the approval of a fresh one directive. Before examining briefly the content of this EU provision, I believe it is necessary to explain in general the figure of the so-called foreign terrorist fighters - that is to say i foreign terrorist fighters - which has the specificity of today's terrorism as that of the involvement in the ranks of the terrorist movements of individuals, especially belonging to the youth band, who come from Western States, ready to fight in war territories, think of Iraq, Syria and to North Africa, or to perpetrate acts of terror in the state of citizenship, as has happened in France, Belgium, England, Germany and so on.
These foreign fighters, linked to the phenomenon of international terrorism, in my opinion, are an expression of the cd molecular terrorism. What is the latter figure, little known to public opinion? I could define such a figure as threat of unpredictability, which includes both the lone wolf, and the fighter returning from the fronts of the Jihad present in the Middle East and North Africa. The typical example of this unpredictable molecular terrorism is in the figure of the citizen Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, a terrorist who, after scoring the first blow - in Paris - takes a taxi and gets to take home to stock up on other weapons and then calls another taxi to go to the second target to hit.
Returning to the directive, approved by both the EU Parliament and the EU Council, concerning the fight against international terrorism, no. 2017 / 541 which replaced the Framework Decision n.2002 / 475 / GAI (Justice Internal Affairs) and amended the EU Council Decision n.2005 / 671 / JHA, it can be pointed out that the EU has decided to update and strengthen all means in order to combat this terrorist phenomenon, which leads terror among the populations of the EU, inserting new crimes. They are training for terrorist purposes and travels or journeys that fall within the scope of favoring terrorism. But not only that, it also enhances the protection of victims.
Furthermore, the directive establishes that travel for terrorist purposes is considered a crime, both in the internal context of the EU, where the free movement of European citizens is protected - we refer to the Schengen regulation - and beyond the borders of the EU. . They are also connected to the organization and facilitation of such trips, also through logistical and material support, such as, for example, the purchase of travel tickets or the mapping / planning of itinerant stages to be carried out. An offense is also added to training which always has the purpose of terrorism, such as, for example, the manufacture or use of explosive tools, firearms or substances that can be considered harmful or dangerous.
Crucial is also the financial aspect that favors the spread of international terrorism. The directive, in fact, has included the raising and making available of large capital as crimes, with the intention and awareness that such sums of money can be used to favor the committing of terrorist offenses and those crimes related to terrorist movements or terrorist activities. We do not yet know if this last instrument adopted by the EU bodies will really be able to stop the dramatic phenomenon of international terrorism.
(photo: Kim Bach)
