German cinema complex shooting: Is Europe still in a pre-9/11 mode?

Berlin, June 23: Twenty-five people were injured after a masked armed man opened fire in a crowded cinema complex in Viernheim in western Germany. Though the motive of the firing was still not known, but the repetition of these incidents across Europe has raised a serious question: Is the continent really prepared to take on terrorism?

According to experts, Europe is still with a "pre-9/11" type mindset and unlike the US which raised its anti-terror mechanism by quite a few notches, it is still plagued by political hestitation and legal protection and hasn't initiated major anti-terror measures.

Paris saw two major terror attacks last year with the one in November seeing the death of 130 people. In March this year, a series of terror attacks at the city airport and a metro railway station in Brussels in Belgium killed over 30 people.

Experts added that the proximity to Syria in Asia which is witnessing a bloody war and the massive influx of refugees have posed major threats to Europe and the integrated structure of the continent gives the disruptive elements the scope to move freely within it and attack soft targets.

Oneindia News