Extremism declining in Europe in 2021
Europe was the scene of a series of terrorist operations in 2021.
Most of these operations were
carried out by either the Islamic State group or the far right.
These operations came, even as
European states intensified their security strategies in the face of potential
terrorist attacks.
European governments stepped up
their measures to put a lid on terrorist threats, including by enhancing their
security structure, beefing up security everywhere and increasing cyber
security.
In Germany, a stabbing incident
occurred on a train in the state of Bavaria, southeastern Germany.
The attack left three people
injured. It was carried out on November 6 by a Syrian refugee suffering from mental
disorders.
A month earlier, three people were
killed and six others wounded in varying degrees in another attack in the southern
German city of Würzburg.
This attack was carried out by a
Somali national who carried a blunt weapon.
Meanwhile, the German Ministry of
the Interior said Muslims and Muslim houses of worship were the target of 212
attacks by far-right extremists during 2021.
The number of far-right followers in
Germany increased by 3.8% during that year, the ministry said.
It estimated the number of these
followers at 33,300.
However, Germany makes strenuous
efforts to bring down the rate of violence across it and these efforts are
paying off.
German authorities have already placed
some organizations and associations under surveillance.
It also banned some other
organizations in its bid to fight crime and violence.
The German intelligence also
succeeded in eradicating some extremist cells before they embarked on terrorist
operations.
Security services launched campaigns
and raids against mosques, organizations and centers affiliated with Islamist
groups in Germany.
The German parliament has,
meanwhile, issued recommendations and legislation to undermine political Islam.
This came after the discovery of a
plan by the Muslim Brotherhood to spread its extremist ideology among junior
German citizens.
