Transatlantic Counter-Terrorism Cooperation after 11 September 2001

Abstract

When the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon were attacked on 11 September 2001, the experience of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom with serious terrorist threats over the past 30 years ensured European empathy with the United States’ relatively fresh terrorist problem. A high level of both intra-European and transatlantic counter-terrorism cooperation immediately followed the attacks. Robust cooperation within Europe in pursuing and arresting terrorists has continued. But there has been notably less intensive cooperation among European national authorities in tightening immigration policies and border security, so as to deny terrorists access to territory, as opposed to apprehending them once they are inside it. The Madrid bombings of 11 March 2004 — ten bombs placed on commuter railway cars synchronised to detonate without warning during morning rush hour, killing 191 people — may lead to more robust European border and immigration policies.