European leaders met in a video conference to coordinate the “fight against political Islam” and quickly made clear that their fight is foredoomed. “Kurz would like to fight above all the ideological basis behind the terror.” All right. But then Merkel “declared that terrorism is not a conflict between Islam and Christianity. ‘Every form of religious hatred is condemned,’ said Merkel.”
That’s just wonderful, but in saying it, Merkel is making it clear that she is not willing “to fight above all the ideological basis behind the terror.” She is not even willing to admit what that ideological basis is. So will she approve of Europe-wide measures that would actually take on this ideology? Absolutely not.
Then EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sounds an ominous note. “She emphasized that one now wants to make the major Internet platforms more responsible. They are now to be obliged to process references to dangerous content within an hour and to delete them as quickly as possible.”
Given the European Union’s stance on what constitutes terrorism, that “dangerous content” is much more likely to be “right-wing extremism” than incitement to jihadist violence. But in the long-established usage of the European Union, “right-wing extremism” includes any honest discussion of the “ideological basis behind the terror.” So that is what is most likely to be silenced within an hour.
So the situation is most likely to be that these European leaders started out fighting against “political Islam” and will end up enacting measures that restrict any actual effective defense measures against “political Islam.”
“‘Must increase pressure against Islamist terror,'” translated from “‘Müssen Druck gegen islamistischen Terror erhöhen,'” Kronen Zeitung, November 10, 2020:
Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) flew to Paris on Tuesday to coordinate “on a European level” with French President Emmanuel Macron on the “fight against political Islam”. By means of a video conference, the two wanted to set the course for a common approach to “Islamist terror” in Europe. Together with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, EU Council President Charles Michel, Commission President Angela von der Leyen and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, they announced that they would join forces and reform the Schengen rules.
“More far-reaching measures must be taken so that we can live safely in Europe and defend our way of life,” said Kurz on Tuesday on the flight to his meeting with Macron in Paris. This was agreed after the terrorist attacks in Vienna at the beginning of last week, after Macron called Kurz on the evening of the attack.
Without further ado, jetted to Paris
A visit by the French President to Vienna was originally planned, but the plan was ultimately changed. Kurz flew to Paris on Tuesday, where, after a personal conversation with Macron in the Elysée Palace, a video conference with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as EU Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen took place.
Joint fight against extremism
Following the cross-border exchange, Macron confirmed that the expressions of solidarity after the attacks in Paris and Vienna were very large. These would show that the threat of terrorism affects all EU countries. The French President also suggested implementing measures that have already been planned and decided in the fight against political Islam, or accelerating their implementation.
In addition to the action against hate propaganda on the Internet and a reform of the Schengen rules, the linking of common databases so that the security services of the individual states can work better together is also essential. “It takes reforms to enjoy our freedom and security,” Macron said.
Kurz relies on securing the external borders
Kurz also thanked other EU countries for the solidarity and support offered after the attack in Vienna. The most recent attacks would show again and again that existing measures also have to be implemented. “We are in constant danger”, warned the Chancellor urgently of “ticking time bombs” in our society.
Kurz spoke of thousands of “foreign fighters” in the EU. It is now very important to secure the EU’s external borders and to examine the financing of associations and institutions; Kurz would like to fight above all the ideological basis behind the terror.
Internet companies have a duty
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that terrorism is not a conflict between Islam and Christianity. “Every form of religious hatred is condemned,” said Merkel. In doing so, she wants to increasingly rely on a joint approach with Islamic countries. Merkel also emphasized that the question of Islamist terror will also be a key point at the EU Council meeting in December.
EU Commission President von der Leyen took a similar line. She emphasized that one now wants to make the major Internet platforms more responsible. They are now to be obliged to process references to dangerous content within an hour and to delete them as quickly as possible.