France under attack – who’s next?

With growing unrest in Middle Eastern countries, a number of sons of immigrants have found these lands as a haven to engage in violence and murderous acts, especially in countries mired in sectarian wars and civil conflicts. We all witnessed the crime committed in France, with the tragedy of the assassination of journalists and innocents at the hands of terrorists. This incident must be a lesson learned.

The incidents in Australia and France are indeed wakeup calls for Western governments to seriously observe the situation of immigrants, especially those who maintain ties with their native countries, conservatives and suspicious organizations. With the rise of IS, the threat of an increased risk of foreign fighters returning to their home countries was not taken seriously. I strongly condemn the criminal act carried out in France and I cannot find enough words to express my deepest sorrow for what these criminals have done.

Their crime has nothing to do with the religion of Islam, the true religion of peace and peaceful coexistence, and I reject it that such people represent Muslims anywhere. I believe violence does not recognize borders, therefore I still warn of the threat of foreign fighters, not only in nearby countries in the Middle East, where they are fighting and killing for what they believe is to support Islam, but they are time bombs when they go back to their host nations.

They lack the sense of belonging and loyalty, fuelled by hatred, thus they are indeed a threat. With the technology of today, there is no excuse for any government on how to monitor suspicious moves by any of them. I never thought Western governments to be this naive and careless over security until these two incidents occurred, for which they should bear complete responsibility for the death of all innocents and possibly more to come in the future.

So far, it’s clear that foreign fighters are a threat, but how have Western governments acted so far? Nothing significant other than media statements! Until this moment, many foreign governments still believe that they have fortified security and the threat of terrorism is from the hands of visitors from abroad - tourists or students - but the facts so far shows that all security threats and bombings have occurred at the hands of immigrants.

It is a stupid perception that someone would travel to commit terror attacks, but governments refuse to recognize the fact that their resettlement policies have failed and that a number of their emigrant citizens consider these countries infidel lands to commit killings and sow chaos. The question remains why these immigrants have not integrated in those countries and their native communities? I have been always frowned upon those who emigrate because of their religious beliefs, although I’m in favor of the migration of great minds and opinions where they may have a better climate of freedom in the West compared to their native countries. It is the responsibility of the host governments to look at these people with a bigger scope and consider them as national threats that require custody and observation before granting them citizenship.

Foreign governments have granted many privileges to immigrants for no apparent reason, especially to no thinkers or non-scholars, and specifically to the so-called clergy who are fleeing from their Islamic homelands to settle in the countries under the claim of abuse. But they are not offering anything significant to these countries or its governments. In return, they receive welfare and security from the pocket of taxpayers, but they remain alienated and without affiliation in the new community. Whose fault is this? This should be a matter to discuss and analyze.

Maybe the education policy, requirements and immigration procedures need reform. The threat of foreign fighters is serious and needs more intelligence, wisdom and firmness. It is certainly a risk that goes beyond all limits.

By Muna Al-Fuzai

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