Brussels, known as the heart of Europe, has been attacked twice this year and is under threat of terrorism. What is happening in Brussels is a synopsis of what is happening throughout Europe: the threat of terrorist attacks constantly haunts Europeans like a ghost. Under the specter of this threat, the continent loses its status as a land of peace, in accelerated rhythm - Xinhua reports in a recent commentary.
Despite the anti-terrorist measures taken by European governments and the European Union (EU), the number and frequency of terrorist attacks continue to increase. By the end of August, Europe had been the scene of at least 13 terrorist attacks that caused at least 58 dead and 300 injured in Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden and other countries.
Unlike the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States, which involved sophisticated training, today's terrorist activities combine "lone wolf" attacks with organized ones. Moreover, the suspects in the attacks in Barcelona and Finland were ordinary people without criminal record, which makes it more difficult for authorities to investigate. In addition, the use of social media and the transformation of objects used in everyday life into crime tools make it even more difficult to identify and prevent attacks.
Many suspects of terrorist attacks in Europe come from the ranks of immigrants. For a long time, the European countries have neglected the fact that their citizens find their inspiration in extremism and join the "jihad" in the Middle East and other areas devastated by war, and amid the campaigns launched in the Middle East against groups such as the Islamic State, in Europe as residents with legal documents. Europol estimates the number of people in this situation to be over 5000 and considers it a serious concern.
The climate that feeds extremism is not only generated by Europe's social and economic problems, it is also related to the international situation, explains for Xinhua in 2015 the French philosopher Ruwen Ogien (deceased in May). On the one hand, the increased number of terrorist attacks in Europe is largely a result of the interventionist policies of the European states in the Middle East: in the struggle for resources and markets, the European countries have tried to expand their sphere of influence in the region. But unequal competition and egocentristic policies of Europeans have not only disrupted local economic development but have hindered the industrialization of the Arab world, causing the spread of poverty and inequality, and thus creating a favorable environment for terrorism.
At the same time - by applying double standards - Western states used the fight against terrorism as a means of implementing "Middle East policy". Thus, instead of eliminating terrorism, Western powers have paved the way for the survival of terrorism in the Middle East, which has enshrined Europe in a vicious circle of violence, according to Shen Yihuai, European Affairs Specialist at China's Institute of International Relations .
On the other hand, due to the economic downturn and rising unemployment in Europe over the last few years, the old problem of immigrant integration in European society has worsened. According to British economist and journalist Martin Wolf, the 2008 financial crisis has negatively affected low-skilled, low-skilled workers in the West, who were the main beneficiaries of industrialization. Wolf believes that behind the discontent of Western public opinion is the expansion of the role played by the financial sector, the increase in imports of goods requiring a high volume of work, and the intensification of immigration.
Thirdly, the paradox of Western democracy is reflected in an insufficient defense of the interests of marginalized groups. The high frequency of terrorist attacks can not be attributed only to the existence of cultural and religious conflicts between the West and the Middle East. The Western social system, marked by internal conflicts and contradictions, also bears a blame, Ogien said.
In addition, the predominant Christian culture in European countries continues to distort and reject Muslim culture, which intensifies conservative trends in European society, Xinhua notes
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