Easy communication between extremists in Europe opens debate about Schengen Area

Nahla Abdel Moneim

Europe faces major challenges related to its security and social stability, as it recently witnessed a resurgence of bloody terrorist operations in separate regions in France, Austria and Germany. This has opened the debate about the necessary measures to undermine the proliferation of terrorists within the European Union and to address the imbalance in some cooperative frameworks among EU members, which remain a loophole allowing extremists to freely enter.

Recent terrorist attacks have led to a renewed debate about the Schengen Area and the freedom of movement it provides individuals, as it has been used by extremists to facilitate attacks and escape, as well as communication and logistics needed by extremist groups.

Will terrorism alter the advantages of EU’s Schengen Area?

The Schengen Agreement is one of the most prominent advantages that the European Union grants to its members. It was signed in 1985 and includes 26 countries, according to which passports are canceled and replaced by multiple immigration procedures between the internal borders of these countries, allowing freedom of movement for citizens between them.

Over time, the agreement became a burden on European countries, and discussion began regarding the possibility of amending it in line with the war against terrorism that the region is waging. On November 5, French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that the Schengen Agreement may need to be amended in the wake of the attacks on his country.

Terrorist mobility in the Schengen Area

The link between the recent attacks, especially those that took place in Austria, with extremist elements connected with perpetrators from abroad, caused confusion to European security. On November 8, the German authorities arrested four suspects in connection with the Vienna attack that occurred on November 2 at the hands of 20-year-old Kujtim Fejzulai at six locations in the capital, in which four people were killed and others wounded.

German police said that forces from the counterterrorism unit (GSG 9) carried out raids against ISIS sympathizers linked to the perpetrator of the recent attack. They searched a number of homes and shops near Hamburg and in the city centers of Kassel and Osnabrück.

In early November, with the intensification of terrorist operations against the EU, some Schengen countries began to protect their borders at the highest levels. The German authorities confirmed strengthening their borders for fear of any accomplices of Fejzulai attempting to flee, but the Austrian government has not confirmed the presence of a second attacker.

For its part, Sweden announced on November 5 that it is tightening security measures in the wake of the terrorist attacks, denying rumors of a potential threat against its land and calling on citizens to remain calm but cautious. The Swedish authorities stressed that raising the levels of preparedness is a natural thing due to the attacks in the EU, although they have kept the risk level at the third level instead of raising it to the highest level, which is 5.

European changes amid raging terror

The recent attacks call for procedural changes at the level of the security confrontation in Europe, which is what French President Macron referred to regarding some of the privileges of the EU’s Schengen Area. Perhaps the striking incident is the dissolution of the Turkish-backed Grey Wolves group on November 5 due to its involvement in riots in France. Austria and Germany also complained about this while addressing Europe’s openness geographically and securely, matched by efforts to undermine the terrorist entanglement in the region. Just as France is tightening its measures against the Turkish-backed fronts, Austria is also stressing the need to prevent Ankara from exploiting its lands to achieve political goals. This matter also applies to the Brotherhood, which has a sprawling network in Europe, and there have been recent calls to classify the group as a terrorist organization.