EU to create Knowledge-Hub to fight extremism and radicalisation in Europe

EU Commissioner for home affairs, Cecilia Malmstrom, Wednesday presented a report recommending 10 areas in which EU member states are called to reinforce their actions to prevent all types of radicalisation and extremism that leads to violence. "The risk of radicalisation leading to violent extremism in the EU is growing and ideology-motivated attacks cause more than just loss of life and economic damage; they divide communities across the EU ," she told a press conference. "Terrorism is now being driven by a wide range of sources, including nationalist ideologies, Al Qaida, violent left-wing groups, anarchists, and not least right-wing ideologies," she stated. Malmstrom noted that more than 1200 Europeans have left so far to train and to fight in combat zones such as Syria, Somalia and Sudan. "Syria is a growing problem and it is the biggest country of recipients so far , but it is a phenomen also we are having in Sudan and Somalia," she said. The EU Commissioners stressed that it is now time to focus Europe's efforts on a truly pre-emptive response, because no country in the EU is spared from the spread of violent extremism. "In Hungary, Roma people have been killed and beaten by Nazi gangs. In Sweden a few years ago, a suicide bomber almost succeeded in murdering innocent Christmas shoppers with pipe bombs. In Greece, rapper Pablos Fyssas was stabbed to death this autumn, by a member of the fascist Golden Dawn party. I could go on and on," she said. "Today we are moving one step further with the adoption of ten recommendations directed mainly to EU Member States that they should carry out as soon as possible." " On the basis of these recommendations, the EU will develop a European knowledge hub to counter violent extremism. This will act as a sort of European anti-extremism centre that will help national and local authorities in their work and, through the use of EU funding," said Malmstrom. "We need to work closer with countries outside the EU where radicalised young people go to participate in training camps," she added. The European Union will earmark 20 million euro for the "Knowledge Hub" between 2014-2017.