Renewed Threat.docVIP

Renewed Threat 　　 Defunct counter-terrorism 　　Kang Jie （PLA Daily columnist）： 　　The tragic shooting in Istanbul’s famous Reina nightclub on New Year’s eve was a “lonewolf” terror attack conducted by a gunman linked to the so-called Islamic State extremist group （ISIS）， killing 39 and injuring 65 others. 　　“Lone-wolf” attacks have become a major terror threat to Europe. Since Turkey closed off its border with Syria and interdicted the channel ISIS used to recruit jihadists from Europe， the group has instigated more attacks in Turkey. Currently， ISIS is secretly trying to buy over Islamic extremists in Europe and incite them to launch deadly attacks on civilian targets. Attacks conducted by a single terrorist are more concealed， making it more difficult for intelligence and security forces to prevent and counter them. 　　In recent months， ISIS has been weakened substantially in both Iraq and Syria， as a result of the two nations being bolstered with international support. However it is difficult to eradicate the group in the near future. 　　The Iraqi Government remains too weak to govern the whole nation effectively； while Syria’s civil war has made it tough for President Bashar al-Assad to control large territories. Economic hardship and widespread unemployment have pushed some young and middle-aged people to join various militant groups to make a living. Continual ideological and religious conflicts have also opened space for extremism to grow unchecked. Moreover， major powers never relent their meddling in the Middle East. The internal conflicts in the region have offered foreign countries a chance to wage proxy wars. All these factors combined have created a fertile ground for jihadists and terrorists. 　　Besides， migrant Muslims often find it hard to integrate into European and North American society. Many young people are confused about their identities and future. Under extremist incitement， some are pushed to join jihadist groups. 　　In the long term，