Yannick Veilleux-Lepage
(PhD candidate at the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, located at the University of St. Andrews. His doctoral research focuses on the historical antecedents, and the evolution of, modern terrorism. He holds a Masters of Arts in International Affairs (Conflict Analysis) and a Bachelors of Arts in Directed Interdisciplinary Studies (Security Studies) from Carleton University, Canada).
Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date on 31 January 2015.
In recent months, western intelligence officials and policy makers have been continuing to grow increasingly concerned that a new wave of terrorism will soon sweep over Europe, driven by the civil war in Syria and the continuing instability in Iraq. Many of these concerns stem from upwards of 3,000 foreign fighters travelling from Western countries to swell the ranks of the Islamic State (IS) and the fear of 'blowback' ("Islamic State crisis," 2014). Ultimately, the concern is that westerners who have joined the Islamic State will return further radicalized, battle-hardened, and influenced by extensive radical networks and that they might be more likely to commit terrorist attack on their home soil. The recent attacks on the Jewish Museum in Brussels, allegedly committed by a French national returning from fighting in Syria, seems to confirm that these fears may indeed be founding in reality.... Read more