It was hard to imagine, after the terrorist attacks in Paris last week, a more erronous answer from our politicians. And yet, they've done it. As always, they have proved themselves capable of the worst analysis and responses.
Because, what does the Schengen treaty have to do with these attacks. These terrorists haven't been born outside France and crossed the borders unnoticed. These terrorists had the french nationality. They had gone to Yemen and Syria and have, presumably, crossed the borders after the complete airport border control, and not via any 3rd European country:
"But a U.S. official said the United States had information from the French intelligence agency indicating Said Kouachi had traveled to Yemen as late as 2011 on behalf of the al Qaeda affiliate there. A French official also told CNN Said Kouachi had been in Yemen." [CNN]
Even, if they haven't come back by plane and crossed the security check, the french administration did know about their whereabouts. So obviously, the intra-european borders haven't been the issue here. Not even the external european borders have been the issue.
The issue has been intelligence, or more precissely, the lack of it.
"Kouachi would seem to be a more obvious target for surveillance by authorities, with a record of at least a decade of involvement in militant groups. His history of involvement does not indicate any link to a major established group, more a long-term activity among disorganised local networks." [The Guardian]
"Cherif Kouachi, 32, and Said Kouachi, 34, were French citizens known to the country's security services, according to officials. One spent time in jail for ties to terrorism, and was in Syria as recently as this summer, according to a French source. The other went to Yemen for training, officials say.
(...)
But a U.S. official said the United States had information from the French intelligence agency indicating Said Kouachi had traveled to Yemen as late as 2011 on behalf of the al Qaeda affiliate there. A French official also told CNN Said Kouachi had been in Yemen.
(...)
Both were in the U.S. database of known or suspected international terrorists, known as TIDE, and also had been on the no-fly list for years, a U.S. law enforcement official said."
But nothing of this matters, because it seems our Ministers of Interior, and pressumably, our Prime Ministers, want to take advantage of these attacks to reduce our freedoms and the Schengen treaty (probably the best thing that has happened to Europe since the Roman Empire).
So they want to cover their mistakes in surveying some perfectly identified individuals with some new laws to reduce our freedoms. Not only they could not apply properly the existing laws, but they create new ones that would positively have had no effect on preventing these attacks...
And the thing that should make you fear the most is that Spanish Minister of Interior is one of the leading voices in these movements.
Because, what does the Schengen treaty have to do with these attacks. These terrorists haven't been born outside France and crossed the borders unnoticed. These terrorists had the french nationality. They had gone to Yemen and Syria and have, presumably, crossed the borders after the complete airport border control, and not via any 3rd European country:
"But a U.S. official said the United States had information from the French intelligence agency indicating Said Kouachi had traveled to Yemen as late as 2011 on behalf of the al Qaeda affiliate there. A French official also told CNN Said Kouachi had been in Yemen." [CNN]
Even, if they haven't come back by plane and crossed the security check, the french administration did know about their whereabouts. So obviously, the intra-european borders haven't been the issue here. Not even the external european borders have been the issue.
The issue has been intelligence, or more precissely, the lack of it.
"Kouachi would seem to be a more obvious target for surveillance by authorities, with a record of at least a decade of involvement in militant groups. His history of involvement does not indicate any link to a major established group, more a long-term activity among disorganised local networks." [The Guardian]
"Cherif Kouachi, 32, and Said Kouachi, 34, were French citizens known to the country's security services, according to officials. One spent time in jail for ties to terrorism, and was in Syria as recently as this summer, according to a French source. The other went to Yemen for training, officials say.
(...)
But a U.S. official said the United States had information from the French intelligence agency indicating Said Kouachi had traveled to Yemen as late as 2011 on behalf of the al Qaeda affiliate there. A French official also told CNN Said Kouachi had been in Yemen.
(...)
Both were in the U.S. database of known or suspected international terrorists, known as TIDE, and also had been on the no-fly list for years, a U.S. law enforcement official said."
But nothing of this matters, because it seems our Ministers of Interior, and pressumably, our Prime Ministers, want to take advantage of these attacks to reduce our freedoms and the Schengen treaty (probably the best thing that has happened to Europe since the Roman Empire).
So they want to cover their mistakes in surveying some perfectly identified individuals with some new laws to reduce our freedoms. Not only they could not apply properly the existing laws, but they create new ones that would positively have had no effect on preventing these attacks...
And the thing that should make you fear the most is that Spanish Minister of Interior is one of the leading voices in these movements.
