CoE Rapporteur on Brussels Attacks Zingeris to EF: For better Democratic Security, without Ghettos+

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking to "Eurofora" after an "Urgent" PanEuropean Debate and Vote of a Resolution on the "Brussels' Attacks" by Deadly ISIS' Terrorists at an Airport and a Metro Station next to EU Council, Commission and Parliament Buildings there, CoE's Rapporteur against "Security Failures" and for "Counter Terrorism Cooperation", the Experienced, mainstream ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Emanuelis Zingeris, from Lithuania, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee at Vilnius and former Vice-President of CoE's Assembly in Strasbourg, where he serves as Elected MEP as long as, already, since 1994, (i.e. during 22 Years, almost as "Eurofora"'s Journalist Work : +9/1993-2016), appeared adamant, and very Conscious of the Responsibilities of all involved, on certain key points, including that, ("Hotly" debated and fought by contrasting Votes also ay CoE Assembly's Plenary : See Infra) of "some CourtYards", in several EU Countries, dangerously abandoned, in a not so remote Past, to the Influence of "Fundamentalist Islamist" Radicalisation and "Intolerance", one of the Causes of the recent Bloody Terrorism even against Innocent Civilian People.

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-" The Report is about ..situation of the Liberties. the possibilities of Resistance of Europe against possible Terrorist incidents, provoked by Jihadist Groups, from Outside of, and Inside Europe", Zingeris stressed to "Eurofora" from the outset.

- "From my pôint of view, the Critical Mass of Terror Attacks reached a (so high) Level, that we canNot Tolerate", no more, "'the Intolerant Environment in some CourtYards Off Law", went on to Denounce CoE's Rapporteur.

  - We understand that the "Terror Attacks have also Muslims among the Victims of those Fundamentalist Jihadist Groups", he added, however.

+ Moreover, "one of the most Important Issues are the Democratic Values": F.ex. "How Not to limit the Freedom of Speech", etc., and, "at the same Time, that (EU) Law Enforcement Agencies work properly, exchange Informations between them, in order to be Effective against this Ideology of Hatred and to repeal their (Terrorist) Attacks".

=> Thus, f.ex., - "We (CoE) advise to Create one Agency, inside the EU, to try to take out seamly Efficient Measures and Defend the system of our Values, and the Stability of our Political (polyphonic/Democratic) Spectrum", Zingeris pointed out.

- "Those Decisions should be Implemented in every (CoE Member) Country. And Every Government should Reply to us (CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly), and say how they will be Effectively Implementing all Measures Voted by 46 Delegations of CoE's Member Countries" in Strasbourg.

 => - CoE Assembly's "Political Affairs' Committee will Supervise the Follow-up", the PanEuropean Organization's Rapporteur added, replying to another "Eurofora" query.

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+ Last, but not least, questioned by "Eurofora" about his view on a Controversial Amendment, which had almost been adopted, missing the Majority only by a Few MEPS, on some Urban Areas facing Dangers to become Ghettos, he sharply Replied that, "Yes", he was pretty conscious about such Risks, and immediately pointed at what he had just told us before :

- "That's why I spoke about those "CourtYards" (Comp. Supra). In fact, "it's about Ghettos", Zingeris clarified.

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 - The Resolution Adopted by COE's Assembly calls upon its Member States "to Ensure that there are No "No Go Zones" and Ghettos where Common Rules are Inappliquable", (particularly by developing "the Integration of <<Closed>> Communities into their local Neighbourhood").

- Because, "certain Areas in European Towns have become “No-Go Zones” for the Police, and a Breeding ground for Radicalised Extremists and Terrorists", CoE's official Text explains.

+ Moreover, a relevant Amendment, went much Further than that, by Denouncing the Fact that "certain Areas in European Cities have become a Hub for Terrorist Activities and Jihadist Recruiting". This almost Divided CoE's Assembly, with 26 Votes in favor or Abstaining, and just 35 Votes Against.

Thus, finaly, CoE's Assembly prefered  (with an Exceptionaly Thin Majority : Comp. Supra)  to Reject that Controversial Amendment and to keep the Original Text of the Draft Resolution, which Focused into expressing CoE's "Concern" for the Fact that "Belgium has become a Hub for Djihadist Recruiting, and a Safe Heaven for Terrorist Activities, which are often Carried out in Other (EU) Countries", (f.ex. France : See Graphic).

 However, it has also become, recently, a notorious Fact, that the Belgian Police (reportedly in Cooperation with their Collegues from other concerned EU Countries, such as France, Germany, etc), succeeded afterwards to Find and Arrest a growing Number of real Suspects and/or confirmed Terrorists, residing in that Country, and linked to ISIL's Deadly Attacks in Paris and/or Brussels, etc.

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+ On this Crucial point, some Interesting, relevant Observations, concerning, in particular, an alleged "Difference", in this regard, were made by the Experienced, Long-Time Mayor of Strasbourg and Senator, Roland Ries, in Reply to an "Eurofora Question, during a Press Conference on the City's Traditional "Christmas' Market", and the Decision Not to Cancel it, despite Serious Generalized Dangers after the recent Terrorist Attacks in Paris, etc. :

  - Despite the existence of various European Institutions both in Brussels and in Strasbourg, until now, ISIS Terrorist Activities, Attacks and/or imminent Threats, were mainly limited in Brussels only, where  even a general Transports' standstill was ordered, etc. What might be the reason of that Difference ? Is it, perhaps, because Brussels might have more Suburbs affected by Extremist Islamists, than Strasbourg, or, rather, to something else ?", "Eurofora" asked Mayor/Senator Roland Ries.

 - Ries' reply consisted mainly into pointing at the fact that, in his view, Contrary to the almost Traditional existence in Brussels, and more widely in Belgium, of some Suburbs which have been, indeed, affected by "Deep" Segregation and Extremist Islamist influence since long, a Differend situation existed in Strasbourg, in this regard, where, despite the existence, here too, of some Similar Trends recently, nevertheless, both the Local Tradition and Systematic Efforts and Policies by the Municipality have focused on the need to Saveguard the Cohesion of the Community of Population, trying to keep a Balance and promote rather a Multi-Cultural Society, than Closed Cultural Ghettos.

+ However, adverse Economic and/or Social Trends and Pressure exist, here too,  in certain Suburbs, despite the efforts made by the Local Auithorities, which are sometimes obliged to Re-Start anew from scratch, in a Continuous quest of a well Balanced, Multi-Cultural Population, making it necesary to be constantly Vigilent, Careful and ready to Act Efficiently.

Here Ries, perhaps throught about some recent Concrete cases in Strasbourg's Suburbs :  As, f.ex. that of Meinau, where a controversial Turkish Network of Mosques throughout all Europe aims to Build a Brand New one, at a location often visited also by one among the ISIS' Deadly Terrorists who Attacked and Killed many innocent Civilian People in Paris. And/or that of Haute-Pierre, where the Local Press had recently Denounced an attempt by "the Turkish State to Buy a Suburb of Strasbourg", in fact a Part of it, in order to Establish a Private School for Imams, controled by a Foreign State, in addition to 2 New Mosques, etc, (at the same time that Christian Churches are Obliged to Protect themselves behind closed Metalic Fences after various Aggressions),  reportedly placed under the Direction of a Controversial Local Turkish ex-Politician, known for having been brought to Court for Justifying a Brutal Violent Aggression against a School Teacher by an Angry Parent, and linked to the ambiguous "Mili Gorus" Organisation, reportedly related also to Controversial Amerian-Turkish Guru "Gulen", who is notoriously considered as a Dangerous Terrorist Ring-Leader even by Ankara's AKP Government.

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 - "For too long, Officials and Politicians in Europe have turned a Blind Eye to the Lack of Integration and the Growing Radicalisation among Young People, and have Ignored or UnderEstimated the scale of the Terrorist Threat", denounces, in Addition, the adopted CoE's Resolution.

And this, as a matter of General Principle, even if a Thin Majority didn't find necessary to accept an Amendment Tabled by 15 MEPs, which had asked an "Investigation" on the "Accusations, by Former Belgian Justice Minister, Marc Verwilghen, that some of his Collegues (i.e. other Ministers, in a former Coalition Government) deliberately Blocked any Anti-Terrorist and Anti-Radicalisation Measures, out of Political Opportunism", back on 1999-2002.

+ However, CoE's Rapporteur, Zingeris, slamed, at least, the Fact that, concerning "the Last Bombing" which Killed or Wounded many innocent Civilian People in Brussels' Airport, "one of the Terrorists had been Employed for 4 Years (sic !) at Brussels Airport, and Trained for his Future field of Terrorist Activities. Can you Imagine that ?", he wondered in his Speech at the Plenary, earlier Today.

=> - CoE's present "Resolution is about Everyone" : "We (Europêans) cannot go" on just "Talking about the most Horrible Ideology since Nazi ideology – the Jihadist ideology, overloaded with Hatred. We should also Do something about Where the Terrorist Attacks are Planned, sometimes in the Middle East, and sometimes in Parts of Our Communities", Zingeris stressed.

- In this regard, CoE's PanEuropean Assembly Rejected an Amendment tabled by Turkish MEPs against even the use of the specific Word "Jihadists" (Sic !), that they wanted to be Erased and Replaced by the vague Word "Foreign Terrorist Fighters". On the Pretext, as those Turkish MEPs claimed, that "the Word "Jihadist" would give "a Wrong Image", with "Anti-Religious thinking" (sic !), which "created further Danger of Islamophobia" (re-sic !!)...

Thus, a Strong Majority in CoE's Assembly clearly Refused to Repeat Today, what had Curiously happened Yesterday Late Evening, against anOther Draft CoE Resolution : Initialy aimed Against "the phenomenon of Home-Grown Islamist Radicalisation", according to CoE's Official Texts, However, it was so Heavily and Repeatedly Amended by a Grouplet of Turkish MPs, (recently augmented in Number inside CoEPA, in exchange of Paying a little bit more Money to CoE's Budget), that, at the End, it looked Less as a Text for the Prevention of Deadly and Violent Terrorism against Innocent Civilians, and much more as a call for Oppressive Measures against ...anyone who might be accused of ..."Islamophobia" (sic), simply on Pretext of a few Words used at his/her private Twitter account, a Forum or any other "Social Media" of Peaceful private Discussion between Friends at the Web !...  I.e. an obvious "High-Jacking" and "Detournement" of a Text initialy aimed to Prevent "Islamist Radicaliation" (another Erased Word from CoE's Draft) leading to Deadly and Violent Terrorism, into an Instrument for the "Prosecution" of People who might Try to Help that CoE's aim by Warning of some possible Dangers, if they Simply used, f.ex., the Words "Islamic Radicalisation", and/or even ..."Jihadist Recruitment", according to the Strange Misconceptions of those Turkish MEPs, who appeared, by their Systematic, above mentioned Amendments, much More Interested in Censorship against Freedom of Speech even inside Europe, than in Denouncing and Combatting "Islamic State"'s Deadly Terrorist Attacks against Innocent Civilian European People, (Comp. Supra).

- On the Contrary, the Resolution adopted Today by a Strong Majority of CoE's PanEuropean Assembly, by Rejecting such Controversial Amendments tabled by a Grouplet of Turkish MEPs, (Comp. Supra), Expressed clearly its "Concern" for the Fact that, f.ex. "Belgium has become a Hub for Jihadist Recruiting, and that the Deteriorating position of Daesh (alias : "ISIL") in the Middle East, may lead to a Surge of Jihadist recruiting" in general "and Terrorist Activities on the European Continent". In this regard, CoE also Denounced the Fact that, more Widely speaking, f.ex. "France, Germany and the UK reportedly Supply the Highest Numbers, whereas Belgium, Denmark and Sweden have the Highest "per Capita" Figures" for such "recruitments", (Comp. Supra).

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+ Finaly, CoE's Assembly "calls for a Common European CounterTerrorism Unit" to be created "at EU Level", as its Rapporteur, Emanuelis Zingeris, had asked, (Comp. Supra). The finaly adopted Resolution also "underlines the Need for an ambitious European Security Strategy, including better Exchange of information between intelligence services and a closer Co-operation between police and judicial authorities" of EU Member States.

++ In Wider terms, "a Co-ordinated PanEuropean Response is Needed, More than Ever", Today, "in the face of ever-Growing International Terrorist Networks", the Resolution stresses, while, however, the Issue of the re-integration of the Rusian Delegation at CoE's Parliamentary Assembly remains still Pending...

+++"At International Level", the PanEuropean Organisation asks to "Control and, if appropriate, Prevent the Travel of Individuals Suspected of belonging to Terrorist Networks, or being Involved in Terrorist Activity".

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 - The Offiicial Headings of this, April 2016 CoE's Report and Resolution clearly point at what follows "After the Brussels Attacks", at the Heart of EU Institutions, (Comp. Supra), and the PanEuropean Assembly stressed from the outset, at the 1st Paragraph of its Draft Text, that MEPs are "Horrified by the Terrorist Attacks at Zaventem Airport and Maelbeek Metro Station in Brussels, on 22 March 2016, in which 32 (Civilian) People were Killed, and over 300 were Injured, 45 of whom remain in Hospital with Severe Injuries".

    + However, a Group of Turkish MEPs tabled an Amendment to Add also a Previous "Series of Serious Terrorist Acts", both inside and outside of the EU, "including the ones in Paris", but also those in "Ankara and Istanbul". I.e. obviously trying to Assimilate the Latest Deadly Aggressions in the EU, which Killed mainly Europeans, with some Previous Aggressions in Turkey, which Killed mainly Kurdish Dissidents (twice), German Tourists, and Israeli/Americans... (With only 1 Exception, where it's also some Turks who were reportedly hit by Error during an Attack apparently aimed against a Police Station : In this unique case, an American Journalist, who Denounced the Fact that, despite Earlier Warnings by US Agents that a Terrorist Attack was Prepared in that Area, curiously, the Turkish Authorities didn't really try to Prevent that, was, later-on, Refused Press Accreditation without any Explanation, and Obliged to Leave the Country : See Lepeska case - PARTLY UPDATED).

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    Last, but not least, the stern Warning given by Young Polish MEP Milewski, during CoE Assembly's relevant Debate, can't pass unoticed :

- "This is Not Only about Security, in its Traditional meaning. It is about the shape of European Cities in Future. ... We have not only a Military War, but (also) a Civilisation War. We Can Win it, but only by Protecting Our (European) Civilisation", he stressed, apparently including there also Basic Human Values.

(../..)

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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, may be published asap).