Author: Vlado Azinović
Publisher:
Published: 2017
Total Pages: 152
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →
Foreword. The mobilisation of jihadist foreign fighters thathas taken place as a result of the conflict in Syria and Iraq has been unprecedented. According to the United Nations, up to 40,000 foreigners fromnearly 100 countries have participated in the war. Not all of them will remainpart of the movement. Many, have already become disillusioned, turned againsttheir comrades, and “retired“ from fighting. Others, however, will turn up inother conflicts, become involved in terrorist networks, or use their credibility as “veterans“ to recruit new followers. There can be no doubt that the consequences of this mobilisation will be profound and long-lasting. In one of my recent books, I predicted that it will result in a “fifthwave“ of terrorism. Much of the public interest in the foreign fighterphenomenon has focused on Western Europe and the Middle East. The situation inthe Balkans, by contrast, has received comparatively little attention. Thisbook is the first comprehensive account of who the foreign fighters from theBalkans are, where they come from, and how they have been radicalised. All the chapters are based on in-depth research and written by leading experts from the region. Their analysis and conclusions are based on empirical facts and a profound understanding of the social and political dynamics in their respective countries. It is this depth of local knowledge that makes the various chapters so interesting and informative. Based on the conclusions, I am deeply convinced that tackling the threat of foreign fighters in the Balkans is vitally important for the Balkans and Europe more generally. Many of the countries in the region are young and have brittle institutions. The fault lines that have emerged from the wars of the 1990s arestill present, and can easily be activated. Given how deeply shaken an old and seemingly strong country like France has been by recent attacks, one can only imagine the kind of impact that large-scale jihadist attacks would have in many of thecountries in the Balkans. Furthermore, what happens in the region is closely connected to – and almost certain to have consequences for – Western Europe. The reason is not just because the Balkans are close to Western Europe, and often serve astrafficking routes for people and weapons, but also because jihadist recruitment and radicalisation in the Balkans are frequently linked – and in many cases originate with – diaspora communities in Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia. Those in Western Europe who believe that the solution to problems outside theEuropean Union is to lock down one’s borders and create “Fortress Europe“ are,once again, wrong. Having travelled to the region in my capacity as OSCE Special Representative on who believe that the solution to problems outside theEuropean Union is to lock down one’s borders and create “Fortress Europe“ are,once again, wrong. Having travelled to the region in my capacity as OSCE Special Representative on CounteringViolent Extremism, the articles in this book confirmed the many personwho believe that the solution to problems outside theEuropean Union is to lock down one’s borders and create “Fortress Europe“ are,once again, wrong. Having travelled to the region in my capacity as OSCE Special Representative on CounteringViolent Extremism, the articles in this book confirmed the many personal encounters and conversations I have had in Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, and the Former Yougoslav Republic of Macedonia. Sadly, theoverall picture is very depressing. The countries that are worst affected bythe foreign fighter phenomenon also happen to be those that seem to be in astate of political and cultural paralysis, offer few perspectives for youngpeople, and frequently appear not to have moved beyond the conflicts of the1990s. I am not saying that this is the principal reason – or sufficient explanation– for why people turn to violent extremism. But the widespread lack of hope and opportunity certainly provides a vacuum which radical ideologies seem ready tofill. I fully agree with Vlado Azinovic that countering violent extremism needs to be not just whole of government butwhole of society. Ultimately, the appeal of jihadism – or other extremistideologies – will only recede if the countries in the region are able todevelop a positive trajectory. This may be a long way off, but it should be an essential consideration in tackling the threat from terrorism in the long term. This bookis required reading not just for security professionals and those who are interestedin fighting terrorism in the Balkans, but for policymakers across Europe. I wholeheartedly commend it. London, 10 May 2017 Professor Peter Neumann
