Date/Time
Date(s) - 21/02/2024
18:00 - 20:30
Location
Press Club Brussels Europe
Categories
Terror attacks seem to be becoming a depressingly regular part of European life. In recent weeks we have seen a Malian national with Italian residency carry out a hammer and knife attack in Paris, and an asylum seeker and convicted criminal carry out an acid attack in London. Despite the elite’s obvious discomfort, we have to ask the question: what is the relationship between migration, asylum, and public security?
Some studies suggest a clear relationship between poor border security and terror attacks. One, by the Austrian think tank SCENOR, shows that 23% of the 105 jihadi attacks in Europe since 2014 were carried out by asylum seekers. Others have drawn attention to the growing influence of migrant criminal gangs, a phenomenon well documented in Sweden which is experiencing an explosion in violence on its streets.
Many are also raising concerns about sexual violence. As Ayaan Hirsi Ali asks in her book ‘Prey’, there is a curious silence about sexual violence and harassment in Europe’s cities following the arrival of several million migrants – often young men from Muslim-majority backgrounds. Are our elites more concerned about prioritising the human rights of asylum seekers over the security and safety of the public?
By contrast, many officials and commentators warn of inflaming social tensions and rising Islamophobia. They insist that Europe has a duty to support those claiming asylum and that immigration brings many social benefits. How can we enforce sensible border precautions without falling into a culture of fear?
For this event, MCC Brussels will bring together two leading academic experts to explore what is going on:
Dr Simon Cottee, an expert in Islamic extremism and terror attacks, will explore the reality of the risk that illegal migrants claiming asylum pose to national security as well as the reluctance of European elites to deport Muslim migrants convicted of serious crimes in the West.
Dr Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, anthropologist and author of the acclaimed study ‘Le Frérisme et ses réseaux: L’Enquête’ (The Brotherhood and its networks: The Investigation), will highlight key findings from her investigative study. Bergeaud-Blackler’s study traces the growth of the Islamist movement out of the internationalisation of the Muslim Brotherhood and shows how the movement is extending its reach into the very heart of European societies.
Join MCC Brussels for an open, honest and considered discussion of migration and public security.
Speakers:
Dr Simon Cottee, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Kent and author of ‘Watching Murder: ISIS, Death Videos and Radicalization’
Dr Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, Research Fellow, Sociétés Religions Laïcité GSRL Group, Paris Sciences et Lettres Université and author of ‘Le Frérisme et ses réseaux: L’Enquête’