Anti-terrorism preparedness in European countries (video)

European Union countries, including Greece, are in a state of anti-terrorism security, having increased the level of preparedness for terrorist attacks after the attack on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow last Friday.

How tells euronews, in France The maximum level of terrorist threat has been introduced under the Vigipirate national plan. Special security measures have been announced in schools. The number of patrols and checks has increased on streets and squares, in crowded places.

Three thousand troops patrol residential areas, another four thousand are on alert and can be immediately mobilized. Of course, not all French are happy about this. Although it is worth paying tribute to the special services – since 2017, 45 terrorist attacks have been prevented in France, including two at the beginning of 2024. One of the residents of the capital says:

“Am I positive? We are never in favor. It always means less freedom, but we have to.”

Italy also introduced special precautions during Easter. Matteo Piantedosi, Minister of the Interior, says:

“We have strengthened the protective measures, the vigilance measures, the preventive measures that we already had, I think, at a very high level since October 7, when the international scenario became somewhat more complicated.”

Belgium, Austria and Germany maintained their already high level of preparedness for terrorist attacks. Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner notes:

“After such dramatic attacks, it is very clear that the authorities need to raise awareness. And although there is no specific threat now, there is a hidden increased risk for Austria.”

Spain For now, it retains the fourth of five levels of terrorist threat, established back in June 2015. A in Greece Giorgos Kalliakmanis, President of the N/A Attica Police Union, and Alexandros Despotopoulos, Internationalist, commented terrorist attack in the Russian Federation and the threat of ISIS as follows:

“Greece has no problems. In Europe they have reason to worry as they have had incidents in the past. What worries them is the Lone Wolves and not so much ISIS, because they operate outside of ISIS, autonomously, but as a result they cannot be detected by the secret services. Security measures at the Olympic Games will be strengthened.”

However, yesterday it became known that the Greek police and the Greek National Intelligence Service put on alert after terrorist attack in Moscow and growing concerns among Western security and intelligence services. They jointly decided to strengthen checks at entry points into the country, in migrant detention centers and beyond.

There is a constant exchange of information between state intelligence agencies in order to identify at an early stage any additional terrorist organizations and individuals maintaining contacts with ISIS-K who enter Central Europe.

Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), according to analyzed data, notes in the report: Russian officials link US and West to wider range of 'terrorism' attacks against Russia after the attack on Crocus City Hall, which is likely to increase rhetoric about possible Western and Ukrainian threats in order to gain more domestic support for the war in Ukraine. The Russian Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor General's Office announced on March 27 that they would consider an appeal from the Russian State Duma to investigate American and Western financing and organization of terrorist attacks against Russia.

The Kremlin is likely hoping, ISW notes, that the perception of Ukrainian and Western involvement in the Crocus City Hall attack will increase domestic support for the war in Ukraine, and Russian officials may be citing a broader understanding of what they consider terrorism to and continue to portray Ukrainians as terrorists, and the West as a sponsor of terrorism. The Russian Federation can still officially accuse Ukraine of organizing the attack at Crocus City Hall if it considers that other information efforts are insufficient to cause the necessary reaction in the country.

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