by Gustave Ducrest
Ever since ISIS took the city of Mosul in 2014, governments have been struggling to find an effective way to stop the terrorist threat at home and abroad. ISIS remains a caliphate in Iraq and Syria and continues to claim responsibility for attacks across the globe. While Western governments are planning to launch military campaigns against radical groups such as ISIS and the Taliban, these solutions may take years to successfully neutralize the groups. However, there are several short-term adjustments that can decrease the chance of a terrorist attack on home soil: small additions to sidewalks, more security cooperation between European countries, and combatting radicalization through the internet.
One of the most concerning parts about the majority of recent terrorist attacks is how easy they are to conduct, but simple changes can make something like a truck attack much more difficult to carry out. Since the beginning of 2016, there have been at least five truck attacks in the western world, including in Barcelona, Nice, Stockholm, Berlin, and Ohio State University. What makes these so accessible is how European cities and college campuses are built. They are based around large boulevards and plazas used as gathering places. Something I noticed this summer on the island of Ibiza was large cement pegs surrounding the boardwalk. I thought they were a simple decoration, but they were actually a grim pragmatic measure. At night, hundreds of young adults go out to have a good time at bars on the open boardwalk, but the pegs protect them from any potential truck attack. Simply installing these near large plazas in cities would render a truck attack nearly impossible. This would have prevented nearly a third of the attacks in the past two years.
What is so great about visiting Europe as a tourist is that thanks to its internal borders, once you are in Europe, it is easy to enter another European country in the “Schengen Area.” For that same reason, terrorist networks are able to move freely through the continent. However, national law enforcement agencies are restrained within their own borders, and until now, there has been little cooperation among European countries. This has to change. In order for terrorist threats to be identified, there has to be coordination among agencies and watchlists. Europol is a group attempting to unite agencies, but it lacks the funding and authoritative power to act on information shared among its 28 member countries. Europol has to be transparent with local agencies so that once a threat has been identified, police can act on the information. Terrorist networks are abusing Europe’s fluid internal borders to stay hidden, so countries should cooperate in order to keep Europe safe and on the watch.
The previous suggestions are great ways to halt individual attacks, but the key step to stopping a terrorist organization is impeding its recruitment process. Groups such as ISIS now use the Internet and even social media to radicalize and recruit at-risk individuals. Google, Facebook, and other tech giants have expanded their efforts in removing radical material, but there is still plenty to be done as ISIS’ reach spans beyond social media. The Redirect Project, an anti-extremism project started by a Google think tank, used research and interviews with radicals to develop its method of ‘redirecting’ potential recruits. Using Google’s ad targeting, the project is able to find likely recruits. It then offers a counter to ISIS fantasies of battling for a glorious cause by using actual footage of fighting in Syria to dissuade recruits. There are also undercover social workers on recruitment forums who attempt to reduce interest in joining organizations by chatting with potential radicalized individuals.The Redirect Project can’t guarantee stopping recruitment completely, but it should be brought into Europe since it will deeply affect ISIS’ recruiting methods. Anti-terrorist organizations should also encourage Imams in local communities to reach out to potential recruits and play down radical propaganda. Stopping ISIS from turning over people in Europe will weaken the terror group, but also reduce the likelihood of local violence.
While extensive military campaigns may put an end to terror threats eventually, we cannot wait long while there are still attacks at home. Governments and even local communities must find ways to reduce the likelihood of a terrorist attack on home soil.