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Is Merkel’s 'Welcome Policy' Failing Europe?

© Photo : Kai PfaffenbachGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel delivers her keynote speech during the Christain Democratic Union (CDU) politial Ash Wednesday meeting in Volkmarsen, Germany February 29, 2016.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivers her keynote speech during the Christain Democratic Union (CDU) politial Ash Wednesday meeting in Volkmarsen, Germany February 29, 2016. - Sputnik International
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Europe has become a zone where terrorists are set on carrying out a full-fledged guerrilla war, and as in any guerrilla war, the militants have both the resources and more importantly, they have a base of local support.

Policemen look on as refugees from Syria demonstrate against violence near the Cologne main train station in Cologne, western Germany on January 16, 2016 - Sputnik International
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According to news publication Gazeta.ru, terrorism in Europe has become a systemic problem with a good source of internal replenishment. It looks like it will not be possible to eliminate it by immigration restrictions, not to mention the continuous work of special services, or the bombing of Syria; therefore, strictly speaking, it is not so important how many countries send their troops into the country.

It is not possible to conquer an ideology with bombs. As the publication noted “terrorism is the dark side of the moon,” in other words, it’s the anti-system.

The recent attacks in Europe are not similar to the attack such as the explosion in Boston, where two renegades made a bomb out of a pressure cooker.

The attack in Brussels in March, which was called the attack to the heart of Europe, was an indication that Europe is no longer an outside territory for extremists which they manage to raid periodically. It has become a platform for their systematic attacks.

It seems like the terrorists are claiming “that you can arrest the individual, but you cannot stop the wave of terror,” according to Gazeta.ru.

Two attacks took place in Germany on Sunday: an explosion in a restaurant in the German town of Ansbach and a stabbing in Reutlingen. In both cases, attacks were carried out by the Syrian refugees; they both acted alone and were in Germany for not more than two years.

Critics of Chancellor Angela Merkel see this increase in frequency of attacks due to Germany’s open door policy for refugees, whereas the German authorities believe that the problem could be solved if there were stronger control over assault weapons.

As it became known later on, the assailant’s victim was a 45-year-old pregnant Polish woman who worked as a cleaner at a cafe where the killer used to buy his shawarma. Police spokesman Bjorn Reusch told reporters that the 21-year-old young man, according to witnesses, had quarreled with the woman before attacking her, so the law enforcers do not rule out that the murder was committed out of jealousy.

Police secure a street near to the scene of a shooting in Munich, Germany July 22, 2016 - Sputnik International
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Police also said that the incident bears no signs of a terrorist act and that the perpetrator acted alone. The exact motives of the attacker remain unknown.

Some details of his biography suggest that his name was Mohammed and he arrived in Germany about year-and-half ago from Syria’s city of Aleppo and has since been trying to get refugee status.

Friends described him as a “nice guy,” although law enforcement data suggests otherwise pointing to the fact that Mohammed has come to the attention of police and was involved in several incidents earlier as well, during which he inflicted injuries to others. In addition, the killer used drugs and liked to drink.

On the same day, a 27-year-old Syrian migrant, whose asylum claim was rejected a year ago, detonated an explosive device at a café located close to an open-air music festival in the Bavarian city of Ansbach. The attacker, who had spent time at a psychiatric ward, died in the explosion, injuring 12 bystanders.

Regional interior minister Joachim Herrmann described the incident as a likely "real Islamist suicide attack."

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Currently in Ansbach there are around 200 policemen on duty, in addition 350 rescue workers and firefighters will be pulled into the city.

These attacks will at least raise questions about the migration policy of open doors, which Merkel’s team has adhered to (in 2015 about 1 million refugees fleeing from wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria came to Germany).

It is possible that these attacks will raise concern about the terrorist attacks of single or so-called lone wolves in Europe and will also put political pressure on the German Chancellor.

Such is the opinion of the western experts, “In the minds of many people, the arrival of man who committed the attack is directly linked to Merkel and her liberal policy towards refugees,” Daily Mail reported political expert from the University of Bonn Frank Decker as saying.

He reminded that the public’s support for Merkel's had fallen due to the migration crisis but increased after June 23 when the British decided to leave the European Union after a referendum.

However, the recent events in Germany could change everything. “This will encourage those who called Merkel's policies a mistake. Merkel will be blamed,” Decker said.

These words have already been confirmed in the statements of opponents of Merkel. The leaders of the far-right party Alternative for Germany have already said that Merkel and her supporters are to blame for the deterioration of the security situation, as their “welcome policy has too many young, uneducated and radical Muslims in Germany.”

​Siobhan McFadyen of The Daily Express reported that Merkel has faced "furious backlash" following the Munich tragedy.

"As the horrifying scenes from Germany's third largest city sparked outrage across the world many in Germany pinned the blame directly on the country's leading politician and her open door policy on migrants," McFadyen writes.

The journalist draws attention to the fact that Merkel's ruling party suffered serious losses to the right-wing AfD in this year's local election, adding that polls are suggesting that Merkel stands a chance of losing in the national federal election next year.

​As for the official German authorities, they see enhancing arms control as a possible solution. “Gun control is an important point. We must continue to do everything possible to limit access to weapons and control this sphere,” vice-chancellor of Germany, Sigmar Gabriel said, commenting on shooting in Munich, in an interview with Berliner Morgenpost newspaper.

However, he stressed that one cannot completely exclude the possibility of crimes by mentally disturbed individuals, so the professionalism and efficiency of law enforcement is also vital in such tragic terrorism cases.

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