EU:Press Freedom at Check-point Charlie after Extremist Islamic Terrorists kill Critical Journalists

 

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- After Critical Journalists in France were brutaly eliminated by an Extremist Islamist Terrorists' sly network, earlier Today, Press Freedom arrived at a Crucial "Check-point Charlie", (according to the  infamous part of Berlin's Wall which had Divided Europe in the Past between areas living under Differend sets of Values), both inside and outside of the EU :

Indeed, by a Symbolic but Timely Coincidence, it's at the same time that PanEuropean CoE's Secretary General Thornbjorn Jagland was visiting Turkey, where he stressed particularly the need to protect Freedom of Expression, as well as  at the Eve of a scheduled  EU Parliament's Vote on a Resolution against "Systematic Pressure" and "recent Arrests" affecting Journalists and "Freedom of Expression in Turkey", (after several Murders in the recent Past), Next Week in Strasbourg, that Critical Journalists in France were targetted and brutaly eliminated by Extremist Islamic Terrorist's sly networks, in a cold blood Murder Attack of a few Killer Gunmen against defenseless Critics, who shot, like cowards, peaceful People working for a marginal but well-known Media, which had become traditional in the EU mainstream City of down-town Paris.

 The obvious aim was a Deadly attempt to Muzzle anti-"Islamisation" Critics, the precise day that "Charlie Hebdo" satyrical weekly had just published a Front-Page Headlines article on Writer Houellebecq, who had recently become famous for predicting, in a parody-Book, the infiltration of a politician aiming to impose his version of a Muslim religion to the whole Society even inside French Presidential Palace Elysée in a foreseable Future, (See relevant Photo doc). The move came shortly after a Growing Series of unprecedented Popular Demonstrations in Germany by so-called "European patriots against the Islamisation of the West" (alias "PEGIDA") have notoriously brought more and more People at the Streets, (f.ex. more than 18.000 Yesterday in Dresden, according to the Police, at the same time with several other Cities), also on the issue of Islamic Extremists' Violence and Terrorism, including against ISIS and religious Intolerance, as well as against Mass Immigration without real Integration.

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Cutting accross traditional Political Borders, the 12 Victims killed Today by 3 alleged Islamic Terrorists crying loudly "Allah Akbar" and brandishing heavy Weapons, (even a simple "Concierge" and a Wounded Policeman working nearby with a Bicycle, who was Shot at the Head by one of the Armed Gunmen, while Lying down at the Ground), included former "Communist Party"'s Cartoonist Wolinski, as also the Magazine's Director "Charb(onnier)"-whose Wife, of Algerian origin, had served as Minister during Sarkozy"s Presidency (Center-Right)- "Charlie Hebdo"'s most famous Cartoonist "Cabu", and a Woman : Elsa Cayat, Columnist and Psy, etc.

"Charlie Hebdo" had notoriously published, both in the Past and recently, many other Satirical Cartoons, sometimes particularly Offensive, against the Christian Religion, or even North Korea, etc., which hadn't, however, provoked any Violent Reaction from those Differend targetted Groups at all. Contrary to what happened vis a vis Muslim religion, initially on 2011-2012, when Turkish Hackers (calling themselves "Ottoman Empire's vanguards" : sic !) attacked and blocked the French Media's Website, threatening the Journalists that "Allah's curse will find you" at the same time that Arson Destroyed all its Office Equipments, and particularly now, on 2015, when this triggered Deadly Violence, reportedly by 3 immigrant Youngsters, currently "Wanted" by the French Police for this Morning's Killings, including a Suspect previously condemned for being part of a Traffic Network sending candidates for Armed "Jihad" to Syria and/or Iraq via Turkey's borders, (as a number of individuals, mainly issued from immigrants residing inside various EU Countries, including many from France, Germany and the UK, already did).

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However, it cannot be excluded a priori that this time, it might     also be an "ISIS'" attempt to (indirectly but surely) Blackmail France against alleged Plans to Send Nuclear Airplane Carrier Ship "Charles de Gaule" to the Persian Gulf in order to be engaged in US-led International Coalition's Air Strikes against the Islamic Terrorist Group's horror activities in Iraq and Syria, that French President Hollande was due to announce in the middle of January, as mainstream Magazine "Le Point" had warned precisely a the Eve of the Murderous Attack, Yesterday, Tuesday, January 6, 2015. By a coincidence, "Charlie Hebdo" has reportedly published also a Cartoon on "ISIS" chief Bagdadi about the New Year 2015.

But almost all Commentators linked this armed attack almost Exclusively to an attempt to Muzzle Criticism from Media, focusing the debate only on the obvious Need to Protect Freedom of Expression and Press Freedom, despite the sometimes offensive or obscene aspects of some Cartoons as those notoriously used by "Charlie Hebdo" and/or other Critical Media : Something which had notoriously triggered in the Past a Debate inside UNESCO, particularly after the Murder of Dutch anti-Islamist Film Director Theo Van Gogh in the Netherlands by a self-declared "Muslim" Extremist, back on 2004, where a small Group pushed mainly by the Turkish Government had tried to impose Restrictions to Free Speech in a Draft Resolution tabled then to the UN body in Paris. Theo Van Gogh had just finished, before being Murdered by a Muslim Fanatic at the end of 2014, a critical Film denouncing some Abusif aspects of Islamic Lew Charia, called "Submission", (i.e. as "Charlie Hebdo"' reference Today to Houellebecq's recent Book, a parody on the Threat to Islamize France : Comp. Supra), and his Latest Film, "06/05", on another Murder of Dutch Politician Fortuyn, another vocal Critic of Islamic Extremism, back on 2002. (Curiously, it's a Fact that it doesn't seem to exist any other Brutal Murder of any Critic of Islam before the 1999 Helsinki EU Summit's controversial Decision to give Turkey an Unpopular "Candidate" status to "EU Accession" in the EU, which was notoriously DownVoted in 2005-2007 EuroReferenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland).

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Thus, Today, after an immediate, spontaneous Popular Movement's Public Gatherings in Brussels' EU Parliament's premisses reportedly with some 1.500 People, and in Strasbourg with 4.500 - 5.000 People, as well as many Tens of Thousands of Demonstrators in Paris, (+ 50.000) and other French Cities, added to similar events also in Berlin, London, Madrfid,  etc.,

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- EU Parliament's President Martin Schulz invited to hold "a Minute of Silence" Tomorrow, Thursday Noon, in Brussels,Expressing "great Shock and Sadness" for "the Terrorist attack against the Paris office of Weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo", Schulz "Condemn(ed) it Strongly", as a "Heinous act", which "is an Attack against our Values of Freedom of Expression and freedom of the Press, against Tolerance and mutual Respect", as he said. This "is an Affront to Civilised society", and "as Europeans, we must Never Surrender the Values which are so close to our Hearts and which this act has sought to Undermine". "This is a moment ...which requires a Dignified and Clear Response. Whatever our opinions or religious beliefs we must stand Strong and United against such Violent acts", concluded EU Parliament's President, "Call(ing) on all Citizens to Defend together the Values we cherish".

In parallel, PanEuropean CoE anounced in Strasbourg its intention to hold a special "Commemorative Ceremony to honour the Victims" on Friday, January 9, 2015 :  "Shocked and deeply saddened by the Horrendous Attack on innocent people at the Charlie Hebdo in Paris today", CoE's Secretary General Jagland, former Prime Minister of Norway, denounced the fact that "this terrorist attack was clearly Targeted to hit Journalists and Undermine Freedom of Expression", being "an Outrageous Attack on our Democratic and European Values". That's why the PanEuropean CoE's Head urged all "Europe's Governments and institutions" to "take all possible Action to better Protect Journalists and media Freedom in Future".

- "Condeming", "with the utmost Firmnes", that "Barbaric" and "Horrendous act", "committed this Morning in Paris against "Charlie Hebdo", CoE's Committee of Ministers' Chairman, vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Belgium, Didier Reynders, espressed his "Deep Shock", but also "Solidarity and Full Support towards the French Authorities and People". Advising a Double Track approach, the Chairman of the PanEuropean body which includes also Turkey and other, various non-EU Countries, called both to "Mobilize in Defense of our Values and our Freedoms, including Freedom of Expression", and "also strive to ensure that the spirit of Tolerance, holding our Societies together, prevails over the Hatred and Division which the Terrorists seek to provoke", as he Warned, expressing CoE's "Determination to pursue its action to that end".

++ "Profoundly Shocked by the Brutal and Inhumane attack which struck the Charlie Hebdo premises", new EU Commission's President, former long-time Prime Minister of Luxembourg and €uroGroup's Chairman, Jean-Claude Juncker, also denounced "an intolerable and Barbaric act, which Concerns us all, as Human beings and Europeans", expressing "in the name of the European Commission, our greatest Solidarity with France". He was echoed further also by new EU Council's President, former Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, who slamed "the Appalling Attack that took place this morning in Paris against Charlie Hebdo", stressing that "the EU stands Side by Side with France, after this Terrible act", whicgh "is a Brutal Attack against our Fundamental Values, against Freedom of Expression which is a Pillar of our Democracy", as he said, urging to "continue Unabated" the "Fight against Terrorism in all its Forms", while also expressing, "on behalf of the EU", "Solidarity with the French authorities and the French People".

Impunity of Crimes provoking growing Threats, as it is well known, both here as anywhere else, the French Authorities reportedly launched immediately a targetted Manhunt which resulted into Identifying 3 main Suspects, among whom one surrendered while the other two are"Wanted" by the Police, and more arrested during searches organized throughout several Towns, including Strasbourg. Apparently, the French Government doesn't want to give the same impression in this cold-blood Murder case of Political Opponents as it has done until now in the case of 3 Women Kurdish Dissidents Killed also inside their Office in Paris on 2013, with at least a Turkish Security Services' Agent having been Suspected as Murderer and a Tape-Recording with a Transcript showing Complicities inside Ankara's Authorities circulating at the Internet, but without having yet Found nor punished anyone for that Horrible Crime, whose Anniversary comes in a few Days, later this same Bloody January : on Saturday, 10.1.2015.

Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls reportedly contacted the New Chief of mainstream Opposition party UMP, former President Nicolas Sarkozy, in the perspective of a joint Demonstration, which was accepted on the condition to be organized "in a spirit of Meditation, Dignity and Firmness", as the latter said. A previous series of Horrible cold-blood Murders with Victims ranging from unarmed Young Soldiers (even Muslims !) up to 3 Small Children together with their Father and Kindergarten Professor at Toulouse, just before a crucial Sarkozy speech on Europe in Strasbourg at a decisive moment of the 2012 Presidential Elections, the same Day that the Killer, another Islamic Extremist : Merah, who had travelled to Turkey and Pakistan (before suddenly finding enough Money and means to stage the Killings, was unmasked and died in an exchange of fire with the police,  (Comp. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/sarkozyfranceforteeuropeforte.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/toulousechildrenmassacreandeurope.html). Sarkozy is due to be the 1st Political Leader that current President François Hollande (who stressed, meanwhile, that "our Best Weapon is our Citizens' Unity") will meet at Elysee Palace Tomorrow Noon.