The lack of coordination and collaboration among the Twenty-Eight is the best ally of terrorists. The response to the challenge presented to Europe must therefore be European.
Only a united Europe can save us from terrorism. Only greater integration among the countries of the Union can defeat jihad. This thesis may seem difficult to digest for those who believe that closing borders, isolating oneself at home, and leaving Brussels is the only possible way out.
It is exactly the opposite that needs to be done: the logic of nation-states today would be equivalent to suicide, a surrender to the terrorists, as well as to the dramas unfolding at our borders.
How can we imagine defending ourselves if each country applies its own security policy? If the mesh of the net that should protect us is very tight or very loose following the decision of a prefect, a minister, or a single Parliament?
If intelligence on those leaving for Syria and Libya or on those returning home after participating in the ‘holy war’ is not exchanged in real-time? If we don’t share fingerprints, DNA, or more simply, license plates, videos, and photos?
Because the outcome of the match depends on the ability to exchange intelligence, carry out large-scale prevention, without militarizing every corner of our cities. Without ceasing to travel freely and to work and study in every corner of the continent.
Just as nothing will make sense if common identification procedures and an integrated database do not start functioning.
Disunity and the absence of deep cooperation are the most significant risks.
What would have happened if in the United States the fight against terrorism had been the province of the states and if someone who had become radicalized in California could simply clean their slate by moving to Arizona? If there were no federal structures capable of cross-referencing information? These same structures were not capable, due to divisions, laxity, and functioning modes, of anticipating and preventing 9/11.
And we also cannot cultivate the illusion of sealing the external borders and raising new external boundaries, because the danger does not come from people who left Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, but from within our own countries.
They were born and raised in the suburbs or ghettos of our cities. Closing the doors would not mean keeping the terrorists out, but keeping them inside.
