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WORLD NEWSTuesday 12 January 2016

Officials pledge closer cooperation against extremists Migrants in poor
French camps get
MIKE CORDER European Union police or- bases at Interpol and other of gaps in European intelli- housing upgrade
Associated Press ganization Europol. national and international gence as they plotted and
THE HAGUE, Netherlands “Terrorism is like a virus. It agencies tracking such executed the rampage ALEX TURNBULL
(AP) — Police, politicians adapts,” he added. “We extremists and fraudulent that killed 130 people. Associated Press
and intelligence officials have to be quicker than documents they use. Salah Abdeslam and Mo- CALAIS, France (AP) —
from more than 50 coun- they are.” Addressing fears that ex- hamed Abrini, two fugitives French officials took steps
tries pledged Monday to Koenders said that build- tremists could be crossing in the Paris attacks, had on Monday to improve the
intensify the fight against ing trust between countries borders amid the current appeared on a list of sus- lot of thousands of migrants
pected Belgian extremists, living in dreadful conditions
French Secretary of State for EU affairs Harlem Desir, left, is greeted by Dutch Foreign Minister Bert but the list apparently was in northern France, setting
Koenders prior to the start of an anti terror conference at the Europol headquarters in The Hague, never widely shared. up containers with bunk
Netherlands, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016. Authorities say Abdeslam beds in Calais, the larg-
was able to crisscross Eu- est camp, and approving
(AP Photo/Peter Dejong) rope, pick up accomplic- plans to relocate anoth-
es, rent rooms and cars, er squalid camp outside
violent extremism by co- and agencies not always surge in migrants enter- and buy detonators from nearby Dunkirk.
operating more closely in accustomed to swiftly shar- ing Europe, Koenders said a fireworks shop. He was Migrants throng by the
tracking foreign fighters, ing intelligence was a key agencies need up-to-the- even stopped by police thousands to Calais and
their finances and commu- result of the behind-closed- minute information, “to and released again Nov. Dunkirk in a bid to sneak
nications. doors meeting. check the personal data of 14 because his name had into Britain. But until Mon-
“We all agree that we need Among a raft of measures all persons who cross bor- not yet been linked to the day, authorities had done
to share information better, agreed by the delegates ders.” attacks, even though he little to make life easier
smarter and faster,” Dutch were moves to disrupt trav- The meeting came two rented apartments in the for migrants — from Syria,
Foreign Minister Bert Ko- el routes used by foreign months after the Nov. 13 Paris area and a car under Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea
enders said after the meet- fighters, in part by updat- attacks in Paris, in which his name. and elsewhere — because
ing at the headquarters of ing on a daily basis data- extremists took advantage Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the France and Britain are try-
suspected planner of the ing to dissuade them from
attacks, was among the coming.
most wanted men in Eu- A group of 140 people
rope, but French authorities moved into the white con-
were seemingly unaware tainers with bunk beds in
until after Nov. 13 that his the Calais camp. The con-
first cousin, with whom he tainers can house 1,500,
was in close contact, was with children and families
living in the Paris region. getting priority.
The cousin, Hasna Ait Bou- In Grande-Synthe, the
lahcen, was tapped in an mayor’s office approved
unrelated drug investiga- relocating a camp mired
tion, but it was Moroccan in mud to another location,
intelligence that pointed after weeks of discussions
French authorities to the among local authorities
apartment in Saint-Denis and Doctors Without Bor-
where the cousins were ders, which led the effort.
hiding out with an accom- The new camp will open in
plice. They died in a raid four weeks, according to
there.q the prefecture of the Nord
region.
Germany: Up to 2,500 people stay in
the Grande-Synthe camp,
Pakistanis, Syrian attacked in Cologne amid tension known as a haven for
smugglers.
GEIR MOULSON erable crimes.” values in our country.” politicians to call for tough- Both camps ballooned
Associated Press But after Cologne police The six Pakistani nationals er laws against migrants with the influx of migrants
BERLIN (AP) — A string said a group of Pakistanis were attacked Sunday by who commit crimes. to Europe, and the Calais
of attacks on women in and a Syrian were attacked around 20 people, and two “As abominable as the camp has evolved into a
Cologne on New Year’s in the city on Sunday, Seib- of them were briefly admit- crimes in Cologne and slum with shops, mosques
Eve blamed largely on ert said Germans must not ted to a hospital, police other cities were, one thing and a church between
foreigners was “intoler- blame all the nearly 1.1 mil- said. Also Sunday evening, remains clear: there is no the tarps and tents. Up to
able,” Chancellor Angela lion migrants who entered five people attacked a Syr- justification for blanket agi- 6,000 people were staying
Merkel’s spokesman said the country last year, and ian man, who was injured tation against foreigners,” there in the fall, though the
Monday, but added noth- said the government is also but didn’t need treatment. Justice Minister Heiko Maas number has decreased re-
ing excuses retaliatory as- focused on their welfare. Police official Norbert Wag- said, adding that some cently.
saults on immigrants. “We’re doing all of these ner said authorities are people “appear just to Authorities are cautious
Merkel has proposed mak- things to protect the popu- treating those attacks as have been waiting for the not to allow housing to at-
ing it easier to deport im- lation in Germany,” he said. anti-foreigner crimes and events of Cologne.” tract more migrants. The
migrants involved in crimes, “We are also doing this for believe the assailants ar- In the eastern city of Leipzig goal is to reduce the Cal-
and her spokesman Stef- the great majority of inno- ranged to meet via social on Monday night, support- ais migrant population to
fen Seibert emphasized cent refugees who have media, news agency dpa ers of the anti-Islamic PE- 2,000. Security has been
the government is looking sought refuge from bombs reported. GIDA movement demon- tightened at the port and
into both “possible conse- and war in our country, and The New Year’s Eve assaults strated, carrying signs with Channel tunnel.q
quences for criminal law who should get this protec- stoked tensions over Ger- slogans like “RAPEfugees
(and) possible political tion and who are prepared many’s open-door policy not welcome” and “Free-
consequences for the intol- to adapt to the rules and to refugees and prompted dom for Germany.”q