A Washington-based think tank has urged the Bush administration to work with
European Union for a united stance on Islamic militant organizations.
"The fallacy of distinguishing between the nonviolent activities of
terrorist groups and the terror attacks that they carry out directly should
be prioritized on the agenda of the ongoing U.S.-European terrorism
dialogue, especially in light of recent Palestinian attacks on Western
targets," the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said in a report.
The report, authored by former FBI official Matthew Levitt, cited the
absence of several insurgency groups on the EU terror list, Middle East Newsline reported. This included
the Lebanese-based Hizbullah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine. The EU also left out the Palestinian Hamas group, but determined
that the organization's military wing is a terrorist organization.
These groups are on the U.S. State Department list of terrorist
organizations. Several Hizbullah figures, however, were included on the EU
list.
The report said the EU terror list distinguishes between the civilian
and military wings of insurgency organizations. Levitt said this trend goes
against the intentions of EU members, particularly Spain, of considering all
elements of an insurgency group as sharing the same goals.
Levitt said the EU list appears to present different standards for
insurgency groups that target the Middle East rather than those that operate
in Europe. The reference was to Al Qaida, which is on the EU list and
operates in Europe in contrast to Hamas and Hizbullah.
"No action has been taken against Hizbullah- or Hamas-related political,
financial, or logistical-support activities in Europe," the report said. "In
fact, the PFLP's Leila Khaled Ñ charged in Britain for her role in the 1970
hijacking of an El Al airliner, but released in exchange for a hostage
before
going to trial Ñ recently traveled to London, where she openly gave public
lectures and media interviews despite the criminal charges still pending
against her in British courts."
The report warns that the EU's policy is short-sighted and that the
continent could once again be the target of Middle East insurgents. The
institute, citing the March killing of two European observers in the West
Bank, said Palestinian groups have already begun targeting European
interests.
