Terrorism is funded via criminal activities
Europol statistics show 515 failed, foiled or successfully perpetrated terrorist attacks and 1009 suspects arrested for terrorism in 2008.
The Hague - The Netherlands.
Terrorism continues to impact on the lives of EU citizens, both inside and outside of the EU. In 2008, four people, including a law enforcement officer, died in the EU as a result of terrorist attacks that were carried out by ETA in Spain.
To the EU the threat from Islamist as well as ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorism, remains high. Basque separatist terrorism in Spain and France, and Corsican separatist terrorism in France affected the EU most. In the UK, dissident Irish Republican groups continue to engage in crime and violence. Left-wing terrorist attacks in the EU have also risen. In Greece the use of violence by the Epanastatikos Agonas or Revolutionary Struggle has escalated.
Illegal sources for the funding of terrorism cover a wide range of criminal activities, spanning from fraud and counterfeit to burglary and extortion. The majority of the persons arrested on suspicion of financing of Islamist terrorism were involved in fraud. Separatist and left-wing terrorists mainly use extortion to finance their activities.
Women play an important role as associates in supporting terrorist organisations. They are involved in propaganda, facilitation, support and financial activities, whereas men are more likely to be involved in actually perpetrating violence and attack-related activities.
"The threat to EU Member States of Islamist as well as ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorism remains high. Law enforcement agencies must stay alert in order to prevent and to keep trying to dismantle terrorist groups and structures," says Mariano Simancas, Deputy Director of Europol.
The overall number of terrorist attacks in the EU in 2008 decreased by 23 percent in comparison with 2007. For 2008, seven member states reported a total of 515 failed, foiled or successfully perpetrated terrorist attacks. Thirteen member states arrested a total of 1009 individuals for terrorism.
No attacks were carried out successfully in the EU in 2008 by Islamist terrorists. Islamist terrorism is however still considered the biggest threat worldwide. One bomb attack was attempted but failed in the UK. The number of 187 arrests relating to Islamist terrorism gives an indication of the amount of successful law enforcement activity in this area. The threat emanating from Islamist terrorism inside the EU is linked, to a certain extent, to the developments in conflict zones and politically unstable countries.
Separatist terrorism remains the terrorism area which affects the EU most. This includes Basque separatist terrorism in Spain and France, and Corsican separatist terrorism in France. The number of separatist terrorist attacks decreased from 532 in 2007 to 397 in 2008, a figure that is comparable to 2006. The vast majority of these terrorist attacks were executed in France and Spain. Past contacts between ETA and the FARC illustrate the fact that separatist terrorist organisations also seek cooperation partners outside the EU on the basis of common interests.
The Europol EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2009 (TE-SAT) seeks to establish basic facts and figures regarding terrorist attacks, arrests and activities in the EU. It is an analysis of the data collected by Europol, the law Enforcement Agencies in the Member States and the Europol partners - Eurojust and the EU Joint Situation Centre.
EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report TE-SAT 2009
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