By Martin Banks - 23rd September 2009
I still believe the threat to Europe from al qaeda is significant
Gilles de Kerchove
The EU's anti-terror tsar has warned that Europe still faces a "significant" terror threat.
Speaking at a conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Gilles de Kerchove said that since the terror attacks on the twin towers in New York in 2001 and others in Madrid and London there had been an "unprecedented" level of international cooperation in fighting terror.
This includes, he said, not only military action but also the UN's anti-terror global strategy.
"This has led many to conclude that a terror threat no longer exists and to ask if we should still be worried. Indeed, the UK recently reduced its terror alert from severe to substantial," he said.
"It is true that our achievements over the last eight years have greatly reduced the terror threat and it is also true that we have not seen any attacks on the scale of 9/11.
"But you will not be surprised to learn that I still believe the threat to Europe from al Qaeda is significant."
De Kerchove, the EU counter-terrorism coordinator, said Europe should not underestimate the organisation's "ability to inspire disaffected young Muslims" nor al Qaeda's "amazing" international media strategy.
He added, "While there is no evidence of a direct link between such organisations and piracy Somalia is a growing source of attraction for disaffected young Muslims.
"Terrorists can strike at any time and groups like al Qaeda have a remarkable capacity to evolve and the message I want to convey is that we should not let our successes make us complacent."
De Kerchove was addressing a European security forum in Brussels on the subject of current terror threats.
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