How Stupid and Dangerous Is This? Paris Attacks: EU Chiefs Defy French Demands for Border Controls on Jihadist Fighters

THE TELEGRAPH: EU chiefs signal they resist French demands for changes to Schengen border code, to ensure every traveller is checked against anti-terror watchlist

The European Commission has indicated it will resist attempts by France to tighten EU border security, after it emerged that foreign fighters have as little as a one per cent chance of being caught when returning from overseas.

Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU Commissioner for migration, insisted that no change is necessary to the current border code that says EU passport holders should be subject to the “minimum checks” when they enter Europe from the Middle East or elsewhere.

The Paris attacks and the apparent ease with which terrorists moved to and from Syria and then from Belgium into France with weapons in their cars, has raised serious questions about the viability of the Schengen system – questions dismissed by Mr Avramopoulos. » | Matthew Holehouse, in Brussels, and Peter Foster, Europe Editor | Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Malzberg | Brigitte Gabriel & Robert Spencer on Islamic Terror & Obama's Response to Paris Attacks

Donald Trump: I Used To Be A Fan Of Angela Merkel

Donald Trump turned his attention to weak European leaders, Germany’s Angela Merkel in particular. He said that he used to be a fan of Merkel and she was terrific but 'she did to Germany is a disgrace' he added.

Donald Trump focused on national security in a speech to a raucous crowd of nearly 10,000 people, days after the Paris Attacks sent shock waves around the world and rippled through the 2016 presidential race.

France: Hollande Says France Is 'At War,' Calls For Large Anti-IS Coalition

Former Spy On Why He Thinks US Is Likely Next On ISIS List

Nov. 17, 2015 - 5:18 - One-time terrorist-turned CIA-double agent shares his predictions about radical Islam on 'The Kelly File'

Massive Overnight Raid Targets Mastermind of Paris Attacks

Nov. 18, 2015 - 4:19 - Two dead, seven arrested in raid in the French suburb of St. Denis

President Obama Dividing the Country over Terrorism

Nov. 17, 2015 - 8:32 - 'The O'Reilly Factor': Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points 11/17

White House on Defense over Kerry, Obama Comments on Terror Threat

Read the Fox News article here | FoxNews.com | Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Police Raid in Saint-Denis Related to Paris Attacks, Deaths Reported

The French police and army swooped on a Paris suburb early Wednesday amid heavy gunfire and explosions in the hunt for those behind last Friday’s attacks. At least two suspects have been killed, including a woman who blew herself up, and three arrested.

Angst vor dem IS-Terror: Jetzt werden die Weihnachtsmärkte gesichert

Am Wochenende beginnt auch in Düsseldorf wieder
der jährliche Weihnachtsmarkt.

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: In wenigen Tagen beginnen viele Weihnachtsmärkte in Deutschland. Die Veranstalter warnen vor Panik. Aber Sorgen machen sie sich schon. Und nicht nur sie.

„Die Sicherheitsbehörden haben eine verantwortliche Entscheidung getroffen", sagte Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel gerade eben dazu, warum das Fußball-Länderspiel zwischen Deutschland schließlich doch nicht ausgetragen worden ist. Viele Deutsche dürften diese Entscheidung teilen. Denn überall dort, wo sich viele Menschen dicht an einem Ort versammeln, steigt in diesen Tagen - bewusst oder unbewusst - das Bedürfnis an Schutz und Sicherheit. » | Brigitte Koch, Düsseldorf | Mittwoch, 18. November 2015

War on Terror: ISIS Threatens the Whole WORLD and Needs to Be ANNIHILATED, Says Hollande

EXPRESS: FRENCH President Francois Hollande has called for a “large coalition” against Islamic State to “annihilate” the terror group.

In a televised address today Francois Hollande said military operations in the Middle East would be intensified just days after it launched attacks on ISIS, also known as Daesh, destroying a number of targets.

He announced plans to form a coalition with USA and Russia “to carry out strikes on Dash because Daesh is guilty”.

The president added: “What’s at stake is annihilating an army that threatens the whole world and not just some countries.”

He told the nation “we are at war” and promised there would be increases recruitment for the both the judiciary and police forces. » | Rob Virtue | Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Vladimir Putin: From Pariah to Powerbroker in One Year

Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russian combat operations
against Isis would be intensified.

THE GUARDIAN: At the 2014 G20 summit in Brisbane, the Russian president was browbeaten by western leaders. But now they know they need him

What a difference a war makes. Twelve months ago, Vladimir Putin was on the menu at the G20 summit in Brisbane. Western leaders queued up hungrily for a piece of Russia’s president following his armed intervention in Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea.

Barack Obama warned Putin he was isolated internationally; David Cameron said he did not trust the Russian leader; Stephen Harper, Canada’s then prime minister, told Putin bluntly: “Get out of Ukraine.”

Reacting angrily to the imposition of sanctions, Putin said western leaders had switched off their brains and were making matters worse by punishing Moscow. But the criticism continued unabated and he left the meeting early in a huff.

Fast-forward to this week’s G20 summit in Turkey and everything, it seems, has changed. Putin was pictured in a friendly huddle, chatting animatedly to Obama and the US national security adviser Susan Rice. He also held reportedly productive talks with Cameron and other leaders. No longer ostracised and browbeaten, Putin was the man everybody wanted to meet.

The reason is not a mystery. Under merciless attack from Islamic State, flailing on the refugee crisis, and consequently desperate to end the war in Syria, European leaders, backed by Obama, have come to an uncomfortable but, in historical terms, not wholly novel conclusion: they need Russia. » | Simon Tisdall | Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Barack Obama Criticises Republicans Over Syrian Refugees

Barack Obama says some of the language used by Republicans after the Paris attacks only serves to strengthen Islamic State. During a visit to the Philippines on Wednesday, the president criticises those who use the Paris attacks as a reason for the US to deny Syrian refugees asylum

Read the Guardian article here | Dan Roberts in Washington and Tom McCarthy in New York | Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Anonymous 'Takes Down Thousands of Islamic State Twitter Accounts'

Hackers claim to have disabled more than 6000 users a day after declaring war on the jihadist group following Friday's Paris attacks

Read the Telegraph article here | Rob Crilly, New York | Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Marine Le Pen’s Anti-Islam Message Gains Influence in France

THE NEW YORK TIMES: PARIS — Well before the attacks that killed 129 people in Paris on Friday, Marine Le Pen, the president of the far-right National Front party, was parlaying fear of Islam, migrants and open borders into political support. Now, with France angry and in mourning, she is seizing the opportunity to expand her appeal and show her clout, underscoring how far-right messages are resonating across Europe.

“France and the French are no longer safe,” Ms. Le Pen said in a speech the day after the attacks, demanding a crackdown on Islamists in the country.

Analysts said Ms. Le Pen’s already favorable prospects in regional elections in three weeks have most likely been given a lift, strengthening her position as a possible presidential candidate in 2017. She has also succeeded in pulling the political center of gravity in France to the right, forcing the main center-right party to adopt a stronger anti-immigration stance and taking positions in the wake of Friday’s attacks that were subsequently adopted by President François Hollande, a Socialist. » | Adam Nossiter | Tuesday, November 17, 2015

'We Are Monitoring Every Muslim' After Paris Attacks, Claims Slovakian PM

Mr Fico has said there are no mosques in Slovakia
so Muslims 'would not fit in'

THE INDEPENDENT: Slovakia has been opposed to accepting more refugees under the EU system

The Slovakian Prime Minister has claimed his country is “monitoring every Muslim” in the wake of the attacks in the French capital on Friday.

Roberto Fico, 51, who is running for re-election in March, said recent events in France served to underline fears about accepting refugees and Muslim communities’ integration into European communities. » | Rose Troup Buchanan | Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Intervention du président de la République lors de la 38e session de la Conférence générale de l'UNESCO

Intervention du président de la République lors... by elysee

Nach den Anschlägen in Paris: Frankreich rüstet gegen den Terror auf

Ein französischer Soldat überwacht die Warteschlange
vor Notre-Dame in Paris.

SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG: Präsident Hollande präsentiert Vorschläge, wie sein Land auf die Angriffe reagieren soll. Juristen warnen vor einem "französischen Guantanamo".

Das Staatstheater im Schloss von Versailles ging feierlich zu Ende. Stramm wie ein Soldat stand François Hollande hinter dem Rednerpult, als sich die mehr als 1000 Abgeordneten und Senatoren des französischen Kongresses zur Hymne erhoben: "Zu den Waffen, Brüder, formt eure Truppen", sangen Sozialisten wie Liberale und Republikaner, "Marchons, marchons!"

Der Präsident hatte am Montagabend eine staatstragende Rede gehalten, mit einem Schlusswort voller Pathos: "Der Terrorismus wird nicht die Republik vernichten - sondern es wird die Republik sein, die ihn vernichtet!" Aber Hollande bewies auch, dass er geblieben ist, was er immer war: ein flinker, clever abwägender Taktiker. Er präsentierte vor Frankreichs verfassungsgebender Versammlung Vorschläge, mit denen er seine Nation aufrüsten will. "Le tournant securitaire" nennen Élysée-Berater die politische Wende nach rechts, hin zu mehr Sicherheit und Härte. Der Sozialist griff sogar Vorschläge auf, die vor dem Horror des 13. November nur Republikaner oder Vertreter des rechtsextremen Front National (FN) äußerten. » | Von Christian Wernicke, Paris | Dienstag, 17. November 2015

Islamismus: Die salafistische Gefahr

Pierre Vogel, einer der bekanntesten salafistischen Prediger in
Deutschland, im Sommer des vergangenen Jahres bei einer
Kundgebung in Hamburg.

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: In Deutschland gibt es kein Viertel wie das belgische Molenbeek. Dennoch gehen die Sicherheitsbehörden davon aus, dass die Gefahr durch gewaltbereite Islamisten dramatisch zugenommen hat.

Eine Botschaft war in Berlin unüberhörbar: Ein Molenbeek wie in der belgischen Hauptstadt Brüssel gibt es in Deutschland nicht. Einen Stadtteil also, in dem viele der in Frankreich oder Belgien aktiv gewordenen islamistischen Terroristen gelebt oder zu dem sie vor ihren Taten enge Verbindung hatten. Als dem Sprecher des Bundesinnenministeriums am Montag eine entsprechende Frage gestellt wurde, wollte er sich nicht einmal auf regionale Schwerpunkte oder eine „Prioritätenliste“ festlegen hinsichtlich der Brennpunkte islamistischer Aktivität in Deutschland. Man dürfe den Fokus nicht verengen, heißt es in Berlin. Die Sorge steckt dahinter, dass sonst später, wenn doch einmal etwas passiert sein sollte, der Vorwurf auftauchte, man habe sich auf die falsche Region oder das falsche Stadtviertel konzentriert.

Zwar gibt es auch in Deutschland Orte, die in der öffentlichen Diskussion häufig als „Problemviertel“ bezeichnet werden, weil dort Parallelgesellschaften einen Nährboden für Gewalt und Kriminalität schafften. Berlin-Neukölln wird gerne genannt oder Duisburg-Marxloh. Doch das sind nicht die Brennpunkte, die Polizei und Verfassungsschützer im Auge haben, wenn sie von den wichtigsten Gefahrenherden des Islamismus in Deutschland sprechen. Die Karte mit den islamistischen Problemvierteln ist groß und reicht von Berlin über Niedersachsen und Bremen bis tief in den Westen ins einstige Bonner Diplomatenviertel Bad-Godesberg. Der Föderalismus scheint auch für die Islamisten zu gelten. » | Von Reinhard Bingener, Hannover, Reiner Burger, Düsseldorf, Mechthild Küpper und Eckart Lohse, Berlin | Dienstag, 17. November 2015

Is President Obama Delusional?

Nov. 16, 2015 - 7:43 - 'The O'Reilly Factor': Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points 11/16