The European Parliament today backed a report looking at the legislative and practical deficiencies in the fight against terrorism in Europe. The vote took place the day after a gunman killed multiple people at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, where the European Parliament sits.
S&D Group spokesperson for the report Caterina Chinnici said:
“We are all in shock here following the horrific attack last night. All of our thoughts are with the families and friends of those that lost their lives.
“Over the last year our committee has been meeting with experts and looking in details at the gaps in our response to the terrorist threat in Europe. We have fought hard to ensure that this work has focused on practical measures - improving cooperation between law enforcement agencies and dealing with the new security challenges that we face. There are no easy answers in the fight against terrorism but we must do all we can to address the gaps and prevent further attacks.”
S&D Group spokesperson for the Special Committee on Terrorism, Ana Gomes added:
“We have worked constructively on this report to try and find consensus and provide real answers for our citizens. The danger is not going to disappear but we can improve our domestic and foreign policies to make it harder for terrorist groups to operate and improve our capability to respond to threats. We need to act to crack down on money laundering and other shady financial practices that terrorists and criminals use to fund their activities.
“We have worked hard to try and ensure a report that focuses on practical measures to fight terrorism. In the wake of attacks like the one that occurred here last night, we must attempt to bring people together rather than give in to those that want to divide our societies. Targeting or marginalising certain groups will not make us more secure.”
