The “complexity” of IS networks means governments can never “reduce the threat to zero” of further attacks,
Europol director Rob Wainwright said in an interview with euronews on Thursday. March 24, 2016.
The former British intelligence official was speaking to euronews
correspondent James Franey on the sidelines of a meeting of EU interior
ministers, who were meeting following the attacks in
Brussels on Tuesday, March, 22, 2016.
“It is clear that there are links between the attacks here and those
in Paris,” the Europol director said, “The network spreading between
those countries, and maybe further, is the priority of the
investigation.”
“We have to understand the gravity and the complexity of the
networks that are up against,” he said. “It is not simply possible in
those conditions to reduce the threat to zero.”
However, he added that he expected the attacks, like those in Paris
last year, would enhance European security co-operation and improve
country’s abilities to fight the threat.
“We are growing up as a community, we are becoming a stronger
community together in order that we can track what is clearly a very
dangerous aggressive form of international
terrorism,” he said.
He said that at least 5,000 Europeans have gone to Syria and Iraq,
but officials do not know how many have returned due to “fragmented
intelligence” on those individuals.
“It is not always so evident that they are indeed confirmed
terrorists,” said Wainwright. “It is a highly challenging security
situation that we face in Europe. One of the most challenging that I
have seen in my career.”
