Free movement between European states should have been abandoned after the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) attacks in Paris last November, former MP George Galloway said in the wake of Tuesday’s bombings in Brussels.
The Respect Party’s candidate for mayor of London argued that suspending the right to free movement could have prevented attacks on European soil.
On Tuesday morning suicide bombers launched attacks on Brussels’ airport and metro system, leaving 34 dead and at least 100 injured.
Galloway told RT that Europe’s “Schengen agreements should have been suspended completely after the equally foul atrocity in Paris.”
IS militants are “well organized, and their murderous intent is uncheckable,” he said, adding “they care nothing about giving their own lives in order to take others.”
Given IS’ numbers, broad presence, and organizational capacity, terror attacks are possible in other European states, he stressed during the interview.
“These people are in huge numbers. These attacks in Paris and Brussels were not lone-wolf attacks by deranged swivel-eyed mad-men. These are people with military capability and appear to exist in all countries.”
“We’re just not getting to grips with that,” he said. “I think Europe will go into lockdown.”
Britain is rightly worried to be in the IS “firing line,” he added.
Galloway said he supports Russia’s intervention in Syria and its war against IS. He also criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Ergodan for allowing extremists to pass through its borders.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has said the nation will “stand with Belgium” and pledged to continue the fight against extremism.
He tweeted: “I have chaired a meeting of Cobra – we are increasing police presence at ports, airports, Tube stations and international railway stations.
“The terrorists behind today’s atrocities attack our way of life and they attack us because of who we are. We will never let them win.”