Page 25 - Cyber Terrorism and Extremism as Threat to Critical Infrastructure Protection

DENIS ČALETA, SARA PERKOVIĆ: EXTREMISM AND RADICALIZATION IN THE EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT – SECURITY CHALLENGES
OF RETURN FOREIGN FIGHTERS

However, even though most experts will agree that foreign fighters do not represent a danger
by themselves and that in most cases they do not return to carry out a terrorist attack in their
own country, the danger of their return is not imaginary, and that is a reason why opponents
of their return are not positive about them coming home. Brutal combat hardens the fighters,
making them steady under pressure and giving them a deep sense of loyalty to their comrades-
in-arms. They also gain immediate and practical skills (Byman and Shapiro, 2014, p 8). We
must bear in mind that these people have completed hard training, been on the battlefield, seen
and experienced many things, and learned how to use weapons. Besides this, “EU Member
States reported that returnees to Europe may have a certain amount of combat and operational
experience; gained an enhanced capability to commit acts of terrorism; and be particularly de-
humanized and prone to violence upon their return. They also serve as role models and might
be involved in recruiting and radicalizing others” (TES-AT, 2018, p. 27).

2.1 Terrorist Attacks Carried Out by Returning Foreign Fighters

At the moment, most research concerning foreign fighters, some of which has been mentioned
in the previous sections, talks about FTFs not being a danger to the broader society. However,
opponents of allowing foreign fighters to return to European countries will say that just one
person is enough to bring death to a large number of people if they decide to commit a terrorist
crime after they return. Besides this, it can be said that FTFs are a risk for radicalizing other
people. Even just one person who returned to Europe with the desire to carry out a terrorist
attack is enough to make us change our opinion on whether foreign fighters are dangerous.

Unfortunately, even though most of the returnees have not been inclined to carry out a terrorist
attack, IS has been an inspiration to many of these people when thinking about terrorist crime.
Statistics find that since declaring its caliphate in June 2014, the self-proclaimed Islamic State
has conducted or inspired more than 140 terrorist attacks in 29 countries other than Iraq and
Syria, where its carnage has taken a much deadlier toll. Those attacks have killed at least
2,043 people and injured thousands more” (Lister et al., 2018, e-source). Most of these attacks
were carried out by people who were inspired by IS, not those who were under their direct
command, and nor are there data stating that they participated in war conflict in Islamic State
territory. However, there have been a large number of terrorist attacks committed by people
who participated in the conflict as a member of IS and as a foreign fighter.

• “Three people were killed and another seriously injured in a shooting at the Jewish Mu-
seum in Brussels, Belgium. The suspect was identified as Mehdi Nemmouche, a 29-year-
old Frenchman from Roubaix in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France. Nemmouche,
who had spent a year in Syria, is a radicalized Islamist, according to the chief prosecutor of
Paris.” (Lister et al., 2018, e-source).
• On 13 November 2015, eight attackers attacked Paris. They killed and/or wounded more
than 400 people. Six of the attackers had returned from Islamic State where they had par-
ticipated as foreign fighters.
• A returnee from Islamic State carried out an attack on an Amsterdam-Paris train in August
2015.
• In 2016 “two explosions at Brussels airport and another at a subway station in the Maalbeek
district of the Belgian capital left at least 32 people dead and scores injured. In a statement
posted online by several prominent supporters and by the ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agen-
cy, ISIS claimed that its fighters had carried out the attacks.” (Lister et al., 2018, e-source).

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