[International] German Intelligence Oversight Committee: Ceuta Migrant Surge Suspected of Hybrid Warfare Against EU
RtiTalk 小編19d ago
Last week, a large-scale illegal immigrant crossing incident occurred in Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave. The specific reasons are still under investigation. German Bundestag Intelligence Oversight Committee Chairman Marc Henrichmann pointed out today (4th) that it cannot be ruled out that this incident is a hybrid attack targeting the EU, using the issue of immigration to exert political pressure on a highly sensitive Europe.
The German Bundestag Intelligence Oversight Committee is responsible for overseeing the operations of intelligence agencies such as the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), and the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD). Chairman Henrichmann stated in an interview with dpa today (4th) that there are currently several possible scenarios that can explain this illegal immigrant crossing incident.
Henrichmann said that one possibility is increased political tension between Morocco and Spain, where Morocco, similar to the 2021 Ceuta border crisis, facilitates a large influx of migrants into Ceuta by tacitly allowing or relaxing border controls, thereby pressuring Spain and the EU. Another possibility is that human trafficking groups spread information to attract migrants to the border.
In addition, Henrichmann mentioned that Ukraine's recent claim cannot be ruled out, which is that Russia used social media bots to spread relevant information, causing a large number of migrants to head to Ceuta and thus pressure the EU.
He stated that all three scenarios are possible, but there is still a lack of crucial evidence that directly proves the mastermind behind it.
Henrichmann pointed out that Northern European, Baltic states, and Poland have long faced pressure from Russia and Belarus using migrants. Germany should learn from these countries' experiences in investigating and identifying such actions. He also said that this incident shows that as long as malicious actors selectively spread disinformation, they can have a significant impact on European society and politics in a short period.
The Ceuta incident has once again sparked public discussion in Germany about illegal immigration, border security, and the intervention of external forces in European politics.
German media Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) published a commentary today pointing out that after the incident broke out, EU countries quickly focused on border security and immigration control, but what is truly worth reflecting on is why Europe is so easily influenced by the strategy of "weaponizing immigration."
The commentary pointed out that from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, these leaders have all been accused in recent years of using immigration or refugee issues to pressure Europe.
However, the reason why such strategies repeatedly succeed is not because immigrants themselves are a threat, but because European society has gradually come to view immigration as a highly sensitive issue related to national security and political stability.
The commentary believes that when Europe increasingly views immigration from the perspective of security and threats, rather than discussing it within the framework of humanitarianism and international responsibility, external forces can more easily amplify internal European anxiety, confrontation, and political division through population flows.
In other words, what truly makes "weaponizing immigration" possible is not only the manipulator's methods but also Europe's own fear and vulnerability regarding the issue of immigration.
According to Reuters, the Spanish government estimates that about 69,500 migrants have returned to Morocco in the past four days. However, the debate sparked by the large-scale crossing of migrants into Ceuta regarding European immigration policy, border security, and external intervention continues to this day. (Editor: Chen Wen-wei)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=224310
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