Africans top illegal immigration list

  • 2011-07-27
  • Staff and wire reports

HOMEGROWN TERROR: Officials say threats from extremists are real, though the attacks in Norway don’t affect security in Estonia.

TALLINN - The far-right views of the maniacal killer, Anders Behring Breivik, in Norway last Friday are shining a spotlight on the rise of anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim movements in Scandinavia and much of Europe. The attacks, including the bombing of a government building in Oslo and a shooting spree at a Labor Party youth camp on a nearby island, are described by authorities as a deranged attempt to declare war on the forces of multi-culturalism and pluralism that have taken hold in Norway and much of Europe, writes The Wall Street Journal.

Breivik’s manifesto against the ‘Islamization of Western Europe’ echoed sentiment that has found a renewed voice on the fringes of mainstream politics, from Sweden to Italy. Populist politicians have won votes and influence by arguing that Europe is letting in too many people, especially Muslims who they say don’t accept Western values and who, according to these politicians, cause crime and unemployment.

The view that fueled Breivik’s extremism “is a sentiment you find in all European countries,” said Thomas Hegghammer, a senior research fellow at the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment in Oslo.
Although anti-immigrant sentiment has long played a role in U.S. politics too, many European societies have had greater problems coming to terms with immigration. National identities in Europe tend to be based more on ethnicity than on a set of civic values that can cope with diversity.

In addition, many European countries - including Norway - have had only a short experience of immigration from outside Europe. The result, among a significant minority of voters in much of Europe, is a yearning for a more homogeneous society of a simpler past.

Nevertheless, the question needs to be asked as to why Europe feels itself obligated to take in an ever-increasing flow of migrants, many of whom do not hold Western values. Europeans therefore do have reason to feel under attack, and do have a right to protect their way of life in the face of this perceived onslaught.
Like a heat sink, liberal Europe opens its doors to absorb a flow of immigrants, from countries with out-of-control and limitless population explosions, putting further stress on already existing social and economic problems.
Europe is now the outlet valve for many of these countries, as those fleeing bring their problems to European shores rather than working to get their own houses in order.

A recent report from the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board shows that African illegal immigrants have become the leading group of illegal immigrants into the country this year, reports Postimees Online.
In the first half of this year, 41 cases of illegal immigration (28 in the first 6 months of 2010) and 50 illegal immigrants (49) were discovered.

Out of the 41 cases, 13 were connected to misuse of visas (11); 12 to forged documents (3), four to illegal border-crossing in the area between border checkpoints (4), 3 with illegal internal border crossing (5) and 9 were other cases (5).
Police and Border Guard Board border guard major Ago Tikk said that 25 illegal immigrants in the first half of the year came from Africa; 14 of them were from Congo. A year ago, there were just 2 illegal immigrants from Africa.
Thirteen of the illegal immigrants came from Russia and 11 from other CIS states in the first half of this year versus 23 and 17, respectively, at the same time last year.

In consideration of the tragic events in Norway, this will not affect the appraisal of Estonian security, cites Security Police Commissary Andres Kahar to National Broadcasting. Kahar told national television news that Norway’s events clearly show, however, that the danger of extremists is real.
“This is a truly serious real danger. Although concerning Estonia it may be low, it still exists,” said Kahar.
Estonian Security Police (KaPo) estimates that extremist groups in Estonia are still rather harmless and Norway’s events do not influence the evaluation on Estonian security. “It will not change our situation regarding Estonia. Our situation is unchanged,” added Kahar.

KaPo says it observes carefully all Estonian extremist groups and individuals, irrespective of their ideology; they believe that local right-wing extremists are not active and have no following. “The Security Police Board has a very attentive attitude towards any extremism and has certainly not left right-wing extremists without attention,” said Kahar. He noted that in Estonia, right-wing extremists are still not particularly active and have no major following.

Kahar did not reveal what kind of contacts KaPo has had with Estonian right-wing extremists in the past few years. “The Security Police Board has done, and will do, everything possible to make sure the danger posed by extremism remains low. We use all means allowed by the law for that: we collect and analyze information, cooperate internationally,” said Kahar.
He noted that an important part of fighting extremism is informing the public of extremism and the accompanying dangers.
KaPo also tries to prevent potential attacks by removing illegal weapons and explosives from circulation. In the Norwegian attacks, however, legally acquired firearms and explosive materials were used. “Like the Norwegian case shows, there are never any 100 percent guarantees in security issues,” highlighted Kahar.