Following the UK’s perennial Easter warning to holidaymakers about the possibility of terrorist attacks in a number of European destinations, including Portugal, interior minister Eduardo Cabrita has addressed a conference on terrorism in Europe saying “we have to be more prepared because we run the risk of (suffering an attack) at any moment”.
The conference alluded to the number of Portuguese nationals known to have aligned themselves to Daesh, and the consequent problems for security authorities in monitoring their movements and any possible return to Portugal.
But Cabrita stressed that Portugal is still “one of the most secure countries in the world”.
The only countries “more peaceful are Iceland and New Zealand, which are hard to beat”, he added – stressing Portugal is “privileged” by “intense cooperation” with European security forces Europol, Eurojust and Frontex.
“Our forces and security services have benefited from the experience of participating alongside European partners and indeed those from other countries that have shared knowledge in how best to anticipate our response to these problems”.
As Cabrita talked, the combined security operation to ‘santize’ Lisbon’s Altice Arena ahead of next month’s Eurovision Song Contest was going ahead, and will be in place for the next 43 days.
The minister reiterated the importance of having “competent response to traditional terrorist attacks” but also of security forces being prepared for the likelihood of “apparently isolated practices” or those “not marked by elevated levels of structure”.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
