Illegal migration: The other side of international terrorism

The illegal trafficking of migrants was not one-way across Turkey to conflict areas in Syria and Iraq, but the terrorist groups organized reverse migrations in which their terrorist elements migrated to Europe.  

By: Dr. Farid Khan

Strategic expert on Arab and international affairs

The international community is confused because of the fact that transnational terrorism and organized crime are associated with illegal migration, and in turn, this issue is linked to Europe’s security.

These terrorist organizations have taken advantage of humanitarian issues as a cover for their objectives, forcing Europe to change its strategy and treat illegal migration as a political and security issue instead of a “socioeconomic” case.

The situation has complicated as terrorist elements infiltrated among illegal migrants and refugees. This is a long-term planning of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is trying to settle its own loyalists in Europe in a bid to control mosques and Islamic centers in European cities.

Illegal migration is the most nagging challenge Europe at present.

Terrorists are seeking a foothold in Europe to present objectives and programs that do not comply with reality and totally contradicts human rights.

Terrorism also cements the interests of countries sponsoring extremist ideas such as Turkey, Qatar, in addition to the Muslim Brotherhood organization in North Africa and al-Qaeda in the Maghreb.

This paper delves into exporting terrorism to Europe in view of linking illegal migration, crime and terrorism.

Stages of criminalizing illegal migration in Europe

Today’s world is full of many blocs and alliances as well as diversities and conflicts, which are interrelated and complicated.

Illegal migration to the Europe dates back to the 1930s-1960s, when the old continent needed labor, and therefore it did not criminalize illegal migration then.

As of the early 1970s, Europe started to be self-sufficient of labor, making it take legal measures aimed at curbing illegal migration.  These measures escalated with the introduction of the Schengen Convention, which came into force in June 1985.

In 1988, the European press recorded the first victim of illegal migration drowning in the Mediterranean Sea.

Despite the legal measures taken by the European countries, illegal migration increased again after 1990, the year that witnessed the enlargement of the European Union.

These measures have had a negative impact as illegal migration to Europe increased via destinations such as the continent’s eastern gateway of Poland, Russia and Ukraine, in addition to the Balkans and Gibraltar in Africa.

Illegal migration was highly linked to the European security, especially after September 11 tragedy as migration was later considered a threat to the European countries.

The European Union launched an operation called “Sophia” to combat boats carrying migrants Because of the increasing jeopardy of illegal migration networks associating with terrorist organizations.

The operation aimed at making sure that there were of terrorists among illegal migrants.

European countries are worried that ISIS had successfully infiltrated a number of terrorists who would threaten the security of European societies and carry out new bombings.

The Spanish security forces arrested two Algerians in the Galicia region on November 23, 2016. The investigations linked these arrested men to terrorist attacks in France on November 13, 2015.

Spain says there are precedents that clearly link illegal migration to terrorism and extremism in Europe.

In the moment which news was reported that those foreign fighters are returning to their countries, the fears of European countries have been strengthened, posing a greater challenge to European security interests.

The number of European citizens who joined Daesh stands at around 7,000. However, some of them return back home through the legal channels.

Turkey, Qatar and MB … Plan to transfer terrorism to Europe

Extremist and terrorist groups and the countries that sponsor evil have taken a special path to play their role and apply their strategy. The terrorist organizations have redrawn their new strategy to relocate their extremist and terrorist elements to Europe.

These terrorist organizations, such as ISIS and al-Qaeda, are considered to be offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood, which seeks to penetrate and dominate the largest seaports of illegal migration to Europe, where the MB`s militias are located in western Libya and protected by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s regime in Turkey.

The Fayez al-Sarraj-led government, in the wake of instability in western Libya, allowed terrorist militias to control the human trafficking market to Europe through African continent and earn hundreds of millions of dollars.

The trafficking of migrants was not one-way across Turkey to conflict areas in Syria and Iraq, but the terrorist groups organized reverse migrations in which terrorist elements migrated to Europe.

Turkey and Qatar have been able to support terrorist organizations.

Turkey has been the gateway to the entry and exit of thousands of terrorists who have fought in the ranks of ISIS organization. Turkey was a safe passage for the return of terrorists after carrying out or planning attacks in Europe.

The terrorists include Hayat Boumediene, accused of involvement in 2 terrorist attacks in Paris and the wife of Amedy Coulibaly, who attacked the Jewish shop in Paris in 2015, which left France, and through Turkey, joined the terrorists ISIS in Syria.

All of this has made the EU pay attention to Turkey’s dangerous and key role in the trafficking of refugees and terrorists. The EU is pressing Erdogan to stop the influx of migrants into Europe.

Turkey and Qatar are the largest shelter for terrorist organizations in the world as they dream to destabilize and dominate the Arab and Islamic countries.

Although Ankara signed an agreement limiting illegal migration, Erdogan continued to threaten Europe by opening the way for refugees wishing to reach Europe.

Terrorist ‘Fifth Column’ in Europe

After the fall of the ISIS in some areas, we find that migrants who turned into terrorists or at least joined organizations with terrorist activities began to return to their home countries in Europe.  These returnees have become like a fifth column serving Daesh in the West.

Thousands of illegal migrants from Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistanis and Niger, get into Europe. These nationals have links with terrorism. Definitely, this is no coincidence.

Moreover, there is more reasonable explanation that there is a plan sponsored by Turkey and Qatar through its terrorist arms – the Muslim Brotherhood – aimed at using illegal migration as ‘Trojan Horse’ to invade Europe by terrorists.

The Muslim Brotherhood and Daesh organizations use the Libyan coastal city of Sirte, opposite the Italian coast, as a hub for illegal migration.

European nationals, who returned from the conflict areas in the Middle East, took part in most terrorist attacks in Europe.

Roughly, half of these experienced terrorists — suspects, involved or incited – were European nationals who joined training camps of terrorist organizations.  After they returned, they launched terrorist attacks in their home countries.

Europe has seen a series of successive terrorist attacks, like what happened in France in 2015.

Germany received its share of terrorist attacks in 2016. An Afghani migrant stabbed five people on a train. A Syrian migrant blew himself up, injuring 12 people.

Investigations revealed that the perpetrators of these crimes, most of them immigrants who entered Europe after the second half of 2014.   That happened after the declaration of the so-called Islamic State.

Impact of illegal migration on European security

The threats to security vary in general depending on the period of time and space or the nature of the threat and its source, as well as the multiple threats to European security.

Many researchers divide the European security threats into two main sub-threats – internal and external. The internal threats include crime, violence and hatred, the decline in internal security capabilities, the political differences among EU countries, societal conflicts, information security, cyber warfare, economic crises, declining population numbers and the disruption of the social pyramid.

The external threats, on top of which is the attempt by the terrorist organizations to transfer terrorism to the European Union via illegal migration.

As migration, crime and terrorism are highly correlated, Europe is aware of a shift in the Mediterranean organize crime. Human trafficking has become more profitable and safe than dealing in drugs.

The expansion of Daesh stands out as an additional concern for Europe. The terrorist organization may control the sea and poses a threat to the traffic of ships.

Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, on the sidelines of the Conference of European Social Democrats in Madrid on February 22, 2015, said that terrorism was at Europe’s door and the threat is “grave and dangerous”.

Conclusion

Our era is called the ‘technology era’, but we may call it “an era of terrorism”.  Furthermore, we may call it an era of migration. We tend to think of migration as some people crossing the border, but if we take a careful look at illegal migration, we find terrorist organizations and sponsoring countries exploit it to send terrorists to Europe.

Therefore, it is a must for European countries control the borders to prevent the entry of terrorists. This is legitimate, but the effectiveness of this control is challenged by the fact that many terrorists — whether natives or foreigners — have legal residence permits.

On the other hand, the suggestion of a direct or indirect link between illegal migration and terrorism creates anger and worry among migrants and increases hostile feelings against the state. In this case, xenophobic feelings rise with the possibility of clashes between sectors of society. A balance between human rights and security is not an easy task for governments seeking greater security. Migrants do not usually have a good situation in their home countries and terrorist organizations exploit this situation.

There are other ways to combat the transmission of terrorism through illegal migration to Europe. These ways are significantly less damaging, compared to the European Union’s legal, border and security measures. These mechanisms include attacking the ideology and infrastructure of terrorist organizations and restricting countries that support extremism and terrorism.

My own conviction is that these options are more promising than keeping an eye on all individuals to detain some terrorists among them.