Alexander Rahr: Terror attacks in Brussels are a result of "parallel societies emerging"

Daesh has created many cells that are operating in European countries, Alexander Rahr, a well-known German political analyst, Petersburg Dialogue Russian-German Forum Board Member, told EADaily while commenting on a series of the latest terrorist attacks in Brussels. The political analyst says Daesh chose Belgium, as the headquarters of NATO, EU and other organizations are located there.

“We have declared fight against terrorism, but terror attacks are committed right in our own backyard. Let us face the truth: Daesh (other name – ISIL, a terrorist organization banned in Russia – editor’s note) is not Al Qaeda. They are not cavemen Taliban. It is a serious force, a kind of quasi-state formation that has spread across the European Union countries and, maybe, in U.S. too. They have enough capacities to challenge the West. It is a fact,” Alexander Rahr said.

The expert said terror attacks in Brussels could become possible only through a developed network of terrorist Islamic groups. “It is a serious and quite objective problem. The observers saying that the terror attacks were a result of the European government oversight are wrong. It is not correct linking the terror attacks with the refugees from the Middle East either. The individuals behind the terror attacks are mainly naturalized, the second- and third-generation citizens. Heated debates on this are inevitable. It should be recalled that when terror attacks hit Moscow 15 years ago, many European media and politicians responded the same way urging to do more in fighting terrorism. Then they saw Chechen ‘traces’ everywhere… That viewpoint was wrong. It is not appropriate for the current situation either,” he said.

As for the preventive methods for the future, Rahr believes that the issue needs in-depth development, as there is no easy solution to it. “Brussels is not Berlin, not Paris, not Rome. Simply, there are more armed people representing militarized organizations there. Security issues are a priority - there are many security systems there. There is proper control there. The next step is radical measures, but in Europe, they are irrelevant. I am speaking of racism - it is impossible in Europe, as it will undermine all values of the European liberal society. Europe will never do it,” he said.

Rahr believes that the only way to fight the Islamic terrorism in Europe is to send ‘insiders’ to the underground cells of the terrorists to split them from inside. “The problem is not the separates suicide bombers. The problem is the emerging parallel societies that began clashing. A comprehensive approach is needed to settle the problem from inside,” the political analyst said.

As EADaily reported earlier, two blasts detonated near the American Airlines check-in desk at Zaventem Airport in Brussels on March 22 in the morning. Shots and Arabic screams were heard inside the airport before the explosions. The third blast detonated at Maelbeek metro station near European Union institutions in central Brussels. The authorities shut down the metro, public transportation, schools and kindergartens. Belgium raised the terror threat to its maximum level. Mobile networks are getting saturated. The Brussels blasts followed the arrest of the Paris attacks suspect. Last November, a series of terror attacks claimed 130 lives in Paris.