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EU must beef up security after bin Laden: anti-terror chief

02 May 2011, 18:47 CET
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EU must beef up security after bin Laden: anti-terror chief

Osama Bin Laden - Photo CIA

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union's counter-terrorism coordinator on Monday urged extra vigilance after Osama bin Laden's death, saying the Al-Qaeda leader was likely to continue to serve as a symbol to some.

Gilles de Kerchove welcomed the operation by US special forces as "a significant additional step in our collective efforts to prevent the spread of terrorism."

"It's not the close to a 10-year effort, but a signifiant step" which in the long-term would weaken the core Al-Qaeda organisation, whose operational capabilities had been seriously degraded in recent years, he told journalists.

Al-Qaeda was "no longer in a position to organise another 9/11", he added, referring to the 2001 attacks masterminded by bin Laden, the deadliest ever on US soil.

In the short-term, bin Laden's death "might inspire some individuals to retaliate," he said, while his impact as a symbol was likely to continue to fuel affiliated groups and individuals for some time.

"We should remain vigilant," he said.

"Pakistan and the United States are prime possible targets but all of us collectively have to be very vigilant in the coming weeks."

In Europe, "reinforced security is necessary," he said.

De Kerchove said that based on available information, he believed the circumstances of what was a difficult operation had "made it impossible to capture Osama bin Laden alive."

"The intention was to capture Osama bin Laden alive and bring him to justice," he said. "I think it's really what the president (Barack Obama) was looking for -- otherwise they would have used drones".

Europe's counter-terror coordinator said Yemen, the Sahel nations and Pakistan remained the three greatest terrorist threats to the world.

EU nations needed to beef up aid there in order to help police and security services working to prevent nascent terror threats as well the judiciary.

The 27-nation bloc would also have to help Egypt and Tunisia rebuild their police and security services left in shambles after the recent ousters of repressive dictatorial regimes. "They will need aid in replacing them with services that respect human rights," he said.


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