LONDON: Islamism remains a security threat “first order” and the West must prepare the potential use of biological weapons by extremist groups, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Monday.
The Taliban swept to Afghanistan last month because the United States attracted his troops after the 20-year-old war, and the UK was afraid of returning the group and the emptiness left by Western chaotic withdrawals would allow guerrillas from Al Qaeda and Islamic countries to get a foothold there.
“Islamism, both ideology and violence, is the first order security threat and, is not checked, it will come to us, even if it is centered away from us, when 9/11 is shown,” Blair said in a speech in a speech of the tank rusa security speech to mark warnings Twenty September 2001, 2001 attacks on the United States.
Blair said the West needed to assess its vulnerability.
“Covid-19 has taught us about deadly pathogens.
The possibility of bio-terror may look like a science fictional realm.
But we will be wise now to prepare their potential use by non-country actors,” he said.
The former Prime Minister, who sent British troops to Afghanistan in 2001, said that with high tastes for military involvement from the United States, England must work closer to European countries about the best way to develop the capacity to overcome threats in areas such as Sahel African region.
“Counter-terrorism itself will not eliminate threats that are entrenched,” he said.
“We need some boots on the ground.
Naturally our preferences are for local boots but it won’t always be possible,” he said.