Brussels, 19/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - MEPs have refused to adopt an own initiative report on factors that encourage terrorism or the promotion of recruitment of terrorists. This report was presented by the president of the parliamentary civil liberties committee (LIBE), Gérard Deprez (ALDE, Belgium) and was rejected by 332 votes against, 241 for, with 87 abstentions. After the vote, Mr Deprez said that, “I am deeply disappointed by this bad political message. It is even more regrettable because the no vote occurs on such a sensitive subject as terrorism”.
After the 11 September 2001 attacks, the European Union adopted legislation calling on member states to align their legislation and list minimum rules on terrorist offences. The report called for an open debate on modifying this framework decision in 2002 in view of extending its field of application to the justification of terrorism but by impacting as little as possible on the freedom of expression and thought. It underlined in effect, that in parallel to incitement to terrorism, justification of terrorism contributed to violent radicalisation. The report also highlighted the fact that preventive measures should prevent social marginalisation and promote dialogue between different civilisations, religions and minorities on the United Nations concept of an alliance of civilisations. Mr Deprez' report contained a draft recommendation to the Council and was initially drafted by Jaime Mayor Oreja (EPP-ED, Spain). The latter later withdrew his name from the report, following the parliamentary committee vote. Mr Deprez said that the failure in the vote was mainly down to an accumulation of contradictory opposing forces. He highlighted the principled opposition of the Spanish EPP-ED group, refusing to adhere to the concept of an alliance of civilisations, as supported by the Zapatero government. Spain is in the middle of an election campaign. A series of other protests came from the GUE/NGL, PES and Greens, who said that there were not enough positive elements in the report on dialogue between the Muslim and western world, explained the MEP. According to the latter, one of the sharpest oppositions focused on the concept of penalising apologists for terrorism. Other MEPs were keen to express their regrets. The vice president of the Socialist group at the parliament, Jan Marinus Wiersma (Netherlands) said, “We deplore the fact that the EPP-ED group has tricked its own Spanish delegation and has voted against a report of vital importance to the EU”. Claudio Fava (PES, Italy) said that with this gesture, the EPP had to take grave responsibility for having impeded the fight against terrorism. Barbara Dührkop (PES) affirmed, “it is absolutely disgusting that the reason seized on by the EPP-ED group to vote against its own report was to prevent any reference whatsoever to an alliance of civilisations”. Dührkop was particularly critical of the fact that the EP had not recognised the need for the EU to provide itself with an anti-terrorist instrument or help for victims and to make support for terrorism in the 27 member states of the EU an offence. (B.C.)