COMMENTARY: Europe was key target of Osama bin Laden

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By Kari Huhta
     
      Two anti-terror operations were under preparation during the weekend, one of which has received less news coverage than the other.
      As the United States was launching its attack against Osama bin Laden’s safe house in Pakistan, three young men were arrested in Germany. Police say that they were about to commit a terrorist attack using a home-made bomb.
      The arrests were almost a routine event in Europe, and therefore, they did not receive much attention.
     
While bin Laden was hiding away as a neighbour of a Pakistani military academy in the city of Abbottabad, terrorists operating for his al-Qaeda organisation have been most active specifically in Europe. There have been arrests throughout Europe, and all the way into the Nordic countries as well.
      If the killing of bin Laden has the effect of reducing terrorism to the degree that hopes were expressed on Monday, this should be seen specifically in Europe.
     
Predictions of how the killing of the world’s most wanted suspected terrorist vary considerably because his practical role in the planning of attacks has been unclear in recent years.
      No outsiders have seen bin Laden after he fled US bombings in the mountains of Tora Bora in Afghanistan to Pakistan at the end of 2001.
      The fact that he was found in a large safe house that was built in Abottabad in 2005 gave credence to speculation that there may have been contacts between bin Laden and the Pakistani armed forces.
     
From his safe house bin Laden may have followed how networks operating in the name of al-Qaeda have spread, but he probably could not have directed their operations.
      However, most of those arrested for planning terror attacks have had at least some connection with Pakistan. Eliminating the al-Qaeda networks from Pakistan would undoubtedly reduce the terror threat.
     
In his last days bin Laden may have followed events abroad with considerable dissatisfaction. His original goal was specifically to topple Arab governments, and now they are falling mostly through action taken by groups without a hard-line religious agenda.
      The target of bin Laden’s big terror attacks in September 2001 was the United States, but al-Qaeda-inspired terror attempts there have been few in recent years, and they have failed.
     
Bin Laden may have seen some signs of progress for is violent doctrines in Yemen and other parts of the Horn of Africa region, and in Europe.
      If supporters of violent extremist Islam in Europe have received inspiration from bin Laden while he of alive, they can certainly get it when he is dead.
      The killing of bin Laden is a significant blow to terror networks, but a sustainable reduction of the terror threat in Europe would require, in addition to military and police operations, plenty of cooperation of the native-born population and immigrant groups.
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published on line 2.5.2011


Previously in HS International Edition:
  BREAKING NEWS: Stubb says page turned in battle against terrorism (2.5.2011)

KARI HUHTA / Helsingin Sanomat
kari.huhta@hs.fi