German authorities ‘lose sight’ of three Islamists flagged as threats

Already under fire for the handling of the Anis Amri case that resulted in the Berlin market attack, the German government is now under added pressure because three individuals who are considered dangerous are nowhere to be found. -Vasilis Chronopoulos   Burkhard Lischka, a parliamentary spokesman for the Social Democrats, said three of the nearly 550 individuals identified […]

Anis Amri: How a terror suspect eluded German authorities

German authorities try to identify the errors that allowed Anis Amri to elude them until it was too late. -Vasilis Chronopoulos When German authorities announced that Anis Amri, a Tunisian national suspected of driving a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, had been on their radar for more than a year, questions arose as to […]

Edward Snowden given leave to remain in Russia for ‘a couple more years’

With a post on Facebook, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry anounced that Edward Snowden will have his residency permit extended. -Vasilis Chronopoulos Maria Zakharova, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday that Snowden’s right to stay in Russia was recently extended “by a couple of years.” Her post came in response […]

In Lithuania, learning how to block tanks with trees is back in fashion

With a tactic in use since Roman times, the abatis, US and Canadian engineers try to stop tanks in Lithuania. -Vasilis Chronopoulos  Russia has lots of tanks. Lithuania has lots of trees. It’s not complicated. That’s why Canadian and American troops in Lithuania recently trained to block roads with downed trees — a useful tactic in the […]

Five people suspected of jihadist links arrested in Spain and Hungary

On two separate operations, police in Spain and Hungary arrested five persons with suspected ties to Islamic extremists. -Vasilis Chronopoulos  Spain’s interior ministry said police detained a Moroccan man with Dutch identity documents in the northwestern city of Figueras suspected of belonging to IS who recently returned to Spain from Turkey. The authorities are investigating […]

Explosives found in German apartment ‘linked to right-wing terrorists’

In western Germany a large quantity of explosives was found in possession of persons connected with the far right. The German authorities suspect they were planning an attack on refugee centers and mosques. -Vasilis Chronopoulos  The prosecutor’s office in the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate is investigating whether two men arrested last month for storing large amounts of explosives were […]

Targeted killings necessary … just don’t tell anyone’, say French leftist candidates

The French left abandons its peaceful ways for the needs of realpolitik and hard choices that accompany the fight against terrorism; keeping in line with the European point of view that such business is not for the public eye. -Vasilis Chronopoulos     “We are at war, we must protect the French people,” said former prime minister Manuel Valls at the first […]

Experts warn of election cyberattacks threat in Germany

Concerns are raised in Germany about the safety of the cyber infrastructure, as election day comes closer. Vasilis Chronopoulos “You can crack everything,” says Sandro Gaycken, a security consultant for government institutions and businesses. “Above all, the hardware and software used by German parties is not as well-protected as the high-security CIA computers.” As the […]

Germany sets out tougher post-attack security measures

Among  the new measures that will be implemented by the Germans, is a tougher stance on asylum seekers whose request for asulym have been rejected, they could be imprisoned for up to eighteen months while they await deportation.  Right now the incarceration of asylum seekers is only allowed if deportation is likely within three months […]

German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel calls for ban on Islamist mosques

In an interview with German weekly Der Spiegel, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said that “Salafist mosques must be banned, communities dissolved, and the preachers should be expelled as soon as possible.” “Those who encourage violence do not enjoy the protection of religious freedom,” the leader of the Social Democrats (SPD) added, stressing that he had […]

Secret report shows just how badly Belgium mishandled hunt for ISIS operatives

BRUSSELS—Belgian police had numerous chances to unmask the Islamic State terror cell that later carried out the Paris and Brussels attacks, according to a confidential report prepared for Belgium’s Parliament. They muffed every one. In early 2015, Brussels police stopped a car driven by Brahim Abdeslam, later one of the Paris attackers, and arrested him […]