Radulovic: Fear of radical Islam in the Balkans is justified, we need to be cautious

Military analyst Vlade Radulovic says that at this moment, it cannot be said with certainty whether the events in Gaza will impact the awakening of radical Islamists and jihadists in the Balkans, including Kosovo. However, considering the experience of previous years and the fact that a significant number of Kosovo Albanians joined ISIS and fought in their ranks, it should be cautious.

Radulovic reminds for Kosovo Online that Kosovo was at the top of the list in terms of the number of fighters who joined ISIS relative to its population. 

"In line with this, there is a fear that such a scenario might occur. Another critical aspect to consider when discussing the possibility of radical Islamism awakening in Kosovo is that Hamas members have called on all Muslims to fight not only against Israel but also against the Western world. If we look back a few years to 2015-16-17 and analyze some events that took place in Kosovo and Metohija and information that came from NATO and even the Kosovo Police regarding the Islamic State and jihadists in Kosovo and Metohija, we will see that there were plans for attacks on KFOR members and international missions in Kosovo and Metohija. It seems that such a connection exists, meaning there's a possibility that this line might 'activate'," Radulovic notes.

He points out that there is no intelligence or security data on which he could base a claim of whether something may or may not happen. Still, he highlights recent attacks in France and statements by officials in that country that suggest a connection between the violence and the events in Israel and Palestine.

"It seems to me that there is a justified fear, not only in Kosovo and Metohija but also more widely across Europe, that there could be a wave of violence and terrorist attacks. Of course, we all hope and wish that such things do not happen again. However, we should not forget all those scenes from the streets of Nice, Madrid, London, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, and even what happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the '90s. Radical Islamists, among them Palestinians, participated in the horrifying beheadings of Serbian soldiers. All of this, in addition to the significant number of Kosovo Albanians who joined ISIS and fought in their ranks, is cause for concern," Radulovic says, who believes that at this moment, aside from vigilance, there's no need to introduce additional fear.