MOSCOW, November 7 (RIA Novosti) – At a recent meeting in Berlin, a group of experts discussed possible ways of tackling terrorism, especially the challenges posed by the Islamic State and its followers, Deutsche Welle reports.
“We, the Europeans, cannot stay out of it, because thousands of European fighters have joined the terrorist militia," said the head of the political department at Germany's Defense Ministry Andreas von Geyr, cited by the newspaper. He stressed Europe and the US should work out a common strategy, to include military and political measures and humanitarian aid.
According to political expert Walter Posch, Germany needs to strengthen its regional cooperation to meet the challenge, with Turkey playing the key role in these efforts. Middle East envoy, Miguel Berger, stressed the main advantage of the terrorists are their financial resources. Cutting the radicals off from their funding sources should be a key priority of the European counterterrorism policy agenda.
In September, the German government officially prohibited any kind of support for IS and other radical groups, including financial assistance and recruiting activities, the New York Times reported in September.
“Germany is a true democracy, and there is no place here for a terror organization directed at the constitutional system and the belief in understanding among different peoples,” said German interior minister Thomas de Maizière, cited by the newspaper.
However, some politicians say the initiative may not achieve its expected results and only has minimal ability to prevent potential fighters from going abroad. Currently, approximately 450 Germans are reported to have joined the Islamic State, many of them teenagers.
