EU law enforcement agency Europol presented a report on the terrorism situation in Europe. The Head of the Europol Counter Terrorism Centre Europol, Manuel Navarrete Paniagua, said at meeting yesterday (23 May) with the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament that EU faced more 211 failed and successful terrorist attacks in 2015. More than 1,000 people were arrested for offenses related to terrorism.

The latest attack took place in Brussels on 22 March this year.

A total of 151 people were killed and over 360 people were injured in 2015. Most deaths were due to what was described as jihadist terrorism, with 17 attacks, 150 dead and 667 arrests last year.

“The terrorist cells that are ready to perpetrate terrorist attacks in the EU are mainly domestic and based in EU, but we are aware of their connection with the so-called Islamic State (IS)”, explained Navarrete Paniagua.

Lone wolves and Europeans who traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside extremist groups, represent “a serious threat,” he added.

The debate followed a presentation of two reports by Europol, on the “Terrorism Situation” in the EU for 2016 and on “Changes in modus operandi of Islamic State terrorist attacks” respectively.

The Europol report on “Changes in modus operandi of Islamic State terrorist attacks” is available on the Civil Liberties Committee’s website.

The report on the Terrorism Situation in the EU 2016 will be posted on Europol’s website in 2-3 weeks.

The Brussels Times (Source: Belga)