91997E3904

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3904/97 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Council (10 December 1997)

Subject: Tourist massacre in Egypt

In the wake of the massacre of tourists in the Valley of Queens in Egypt at the hands of Islamist terrorists organized along the lines of a full-scale revolutionary army, Europe cannot postpone the following decisions:

1. to assist President Mubarak's government in taking drastic and resolute action against terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism;

2. to obtain guarantees of the safety of all those visiting Egypt for the purposes of business or tourism in order to ensure that it retains its links to the West;

3. to protect the architectural and cultural heritage of Egypt, whose history belongs to and must be safeguarded by the international community as a whole.

Will the Council say what specific measures it intends to promote in order to combat collusion in the EU Member States between international terrorist groups, specifically Islamist terrorists?

Answer (28 May 1998)

1. The Council condemns terrorism in any form and supports Egypt in its fight against it.

2. The internal and external threats posed by terrorism to the European Union are regularly reviewed by the Council bodies. On 15 October 1996, the Council adopted a Joint Action concerning the creation and maintenance of a Directory of specialized counter-terrorist competences, skills and expertise to facilitate counter-terrorist cooperation between the Member States of the European Union ((OJ L 273, 25.10.1996, p. 1. )).

On the basis of the arrangements concluded for the exchange of operational information in this area, meetings and seminars are regularly held to help combat all aspects of terrorism.

3. In the light of the expected entry into force of the Europol Convention, the Council agreed on 19 March 1998 to take a decision on the extension of the mandate of Europol to cover the fight against terrorism as soon as possible after Europol takes up its activities (Article 2 of the Convention).