“Europe is facing the most serious terrorist threat for over ten years. The increasing transnational nature of terrorist groups and their activities demand ever closer collaboration between relevant law enforcement authorities across Europe. The European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) has been established at Europol for this purpose. I am pleased by the confidence expressed in the work of this centre by the police chiefs meeting in Berlin and by their clear commitment to enhance collaboration efforts even further.” – said  Rob Wainwright, Director of Europol.

In response to a heighetened threat of Jihadist terrorism in Europe, following several serious terrorist incidents in recent months, an extraordinary meeting of high-ranking police representatives from the EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland, was held in Berlin on 7-8 February 2017.

US President Trump has called Angela Merkel’s open door policy to refugees a “catastrophic mistake”, which he said Germany would pay for.

“Do you know, letting all these people in, wherever they come from. And no one knows where they come from at all. You will find out, you’ve had a clear impression of that,” Trump said, referring to the December attack in Berlin, where 12 people lost lives. “So I am of the opinion that she made a catastrophic mistake, a very serious mistake.”