The recent attack by ISIS on Paris rekindles global revulsion against the culture of senseless blood spilling by Islamic fundamentalists, writes SAM NWOKORO.
Again it came unexpected, but more gruesomely at a time President Francois Hollande France and his main ally, President Barack Obama of the United State of America (U.S.A.) were about to rub minds on what should be at the front burners of discussions in the G20 Summit this week. But the chilling news reverberated over the airwaves; the sort that greeted the murder of famous cartoonist, Charley Hebdo, early in the year in Paris.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorists struck in the middle of Paris recently, killing more than 100 people as identified so far. Reports have it that some arrests have been made. However, interrogators are combing every nook and cranny of France, while President Hollande has closed all French borders until more progress is made in nabbing the terrorists who bombed a Paris stadium hosting a friendly match between France and Germany.
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, on her visit to France was billed to watch the match with Hollande. Both cheated the bombers who struck just a few minutes earlier. German authorities claim they have concrete evidence that the ISIS bombers plotted to assassinate the two presidents, believing they were already in the stadium. One Abdelsam Salam has been reported by U.S. intelligence sources as the ringleader of the Paris bombers. Washington’s men claimed to have warned before the strike.
So far, the French authorities have nabbed one of the terrorists, while searching for the second.
Hollande is billed to visit U.S. and Russia over the ISIS menace.
The French Ambassador to U.S., Araud Geraud, told CNN after the bombing incident that as long as the Syrian crisis continues, Europeans are not safe. So far, the terrorist cell phones have been found and are being decoded, according to intelligence sources, for more possible clues. About nine passport photos of suspected terrorists with links with the bombers are being regularly flashed on global networks and cash rewards are being announced for anyone with information that can provide more clues leading to their arrest.
Just as the Paris bomb blast was swirling anger, another bomber struck at another stadium in Hanover, Germany, killing many more people.
ISIS incurs wrath
As expected, last week’s bombing by ISIS terrorists has rekindled global stand-off against it and other terror groups that have in recent time become a menace to the European Union (UN) and allies in the West. Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin have already dispatched squads of war marines to Syria, obviously targeting the ISIS strongholds in Syria and Iraq. This came as the ISIS terrorists have boasted about striking targets in Washington.
Obama described the Paris attack as attack on humanity, assuring Hollande of White House’s total commitment to keep terrorists at bay. He said the attack on Paris represented a threat to the values of freedom which both countries share together.
However, for a start, France unleashed 20 rocket war heads bearing “From Paris with love”, on ISIS strongholds.
Implications
The Paris attack awakens once more the grim reality that for the world to be rid of terrorists, a concerted global approach has become inevitable. Being one of the most gruesome terror attack in terms of casualty and damage since 9/11, Europe’s hitherto passivity in the war against terror may alter. It certainly is no longer going to be exclusive Washington’s burden. They would be compelled to do more than the token they usually do on issues of terror.
Europe’s dependence on crude oil from Iran and Iraq had for long influenced its attitudes to Middle East issues and Islamic fundamentalism. Islamic terrorists’ attacks are usually targeted at Washington and British interests. That was before. But certainly, there is going to be a rethink.
The increasing influence of Russia with her massive crude shipment to Europe would very likely cause a refocus on policy issue in EU member states regarding the fight against terror.
Russia, a relatively possible alternative for western Europe’s energy needs, would get increased European patronage in the years ahead following this bomb blasts, according to most Germans who spoke on CNN.
Already, it is argued, recent resolutions by the G7 industrialised nations since 2014 when the Iraq-Syria crisis started taking a more dangerous state lends credence to this scenario, implying, as it were, that a stepped up coalition against ISIS and other fundamentalist terror networks had all the potential of not only prolonging the multifaceted fundamentalist crisis in Middle East, but also affects the nature of the big powers’ responses to security issues in other parts of the world in the nearest future, even Nigeria.
Nigeria and Boko Haram
Nigeria’s allies in the war against Boko Haram would certainly have to take President Muhammadu Buhari’s pleas for help to fight against Boko Haram more seriously. The President has made the issue of ending insurgency in the North East a top priority, giving the military unit prosecuting the war and other security agencies up to the end of this year to end the insurgency.
He has been to such high level diplomatic shuttles such as the G7 Summit, the UN General Assembly in September, to U.S., Britain, France, Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU) member states jointly prosecuting the war against Boko Haram under the aegis of the multinational force. This is to advance the argument that very urgent need in military hardware and cash assistance are required to end insurgency in the North East for his economic policies to be implemented hassles-free. All these countries he visited has made various pledges, some fulfilled, others partly fulfilled, while some still remained just promise.
Opportunity for agitators
Another fall out of the Paris attack, according to observers, is that it has justified some agitators in the country who are calling for restructuring of the country into regions, so that the different human beings inhabiting this part of the world could order their preferred way of life.
Boko Haram has escalated terrorism, the extent alien to Nigeria since 2009 and more than 300,000 Nigerians have been felled by their bomb.
The Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) pushing for similar objective have been demonstrating in various cities in the South East and South South part of the country calling for peaceful restructuring of Nigeria since Boko Haram terrorism is making life hell for them in certain parts of the country.