New York City fire fighter looks at remains of World Trade Center – photo by Jim WatsonOn the eight anniversary of 9/11, government and security experts say vigilance must be kept up against the threat of “jihadists” in Europe.
“Poland is prepared for the threat of terrorism,” says Minister of the Interior Grzegorz Schetyna.
He was speaking on the day when 2,993 died in the World Trade Centre’s twin towers, five of whom were Polish.
Newspaper reports have appeared in the last two days suggesting that Poland has been inviting possible terrorists into the country, on the invitation of the Foreign Ministry.
Training terrorists?
Today, Dziennik reported that five Afghans have disappeared in Poland since the Foreign Ministry brought them to the country for training.
The newspaper writes that despite a search lasting at least nine months, police, border guards and special services can find no trace of them.
Around 40 Afghan officials and NGO personnel took part in the sessions run by the Foreign Ministry as part of an international civic training program, including Serbians, Georgians, Azerbaijanis and Belarusians.
The news of the missing Afghanis comes on the heals of the announcement this week that police and security forces from the Palestinian Authority would be coming to Poland to be trained by Polish forensic experts at the Police Academy not far from Warsaw.
Security experts in Poland say that the government is asking for trouble by inviting officers with links to Hamas into the country.
Scott Stewart, an expert in security at the Stratfor Global Intelligence Institute says that the threat to Europe, eight years after 9/11, remains.
“We have not ruled out the possibility of a terrorist attack in – even in Poland. That is why it is vital to survey and root out local jihadist cells.”
Another expert says that Europe is more vulnerable than the US.
“The number one goal of jihadists is Europe. It is easier there,” claims Jonathan Stevenson, author of the book Thinking Beyond the Unthinkable. (pg/mmj)