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New Sicilian unit can't target Libyan people smugglers, admits EU law body Europol admits Sicilian unit unable to target Libyan people smugglers
(35 minutes later)
A Sicily-based intelligence operation that David Cameron claimed would disrupt the trafficking and smuggling gangs of the Mediterranean will in reality be unable to gather enough information to target Libyan people smugglers, the EU’s law enforcement agency has admitted.A Sicily-based intelligence operation that David Cameron claimed would disrupt the trafficking and smuggling gangs of the Mediterranean will in reality be unable to gather enough information to target Libyan people smugglers, the EU’s law enforcement agency has admitted.
Related: EU member states miss target to relocate 40,000 migrants
Asked in an interview with the Guardian whether the intelligence derived from the operation would be able to identify smugglers and understand how they operate, Wil van Gemert, Europol’s deputy director, said: “Surely this information is not enough.”Asked in an interview with the Guardian whether the intelligence derived from the operation would be able to identify smugglers and understand how they operate, Wil van Gemert, Europol’s deputy director, said: “Surely this information is not enough.”
The admission is the latest blow to Europe’s stuttering response to the migration crisis, coming as European ministers failed once again to agree about how to redistribute 40,000 migrants throughout the continent.The admission is the latest blow to Europe’s stuttering response to the migration crisis, coming as European ministers failed once again to agree about how to redistribute 40,000 migrants throughout the continent.
Since May, European governments have taken a two-pronged approach to the Mediterranean crisis, which has seen more than 150,000 refugees arrive in Italy and Greece so far this year, and around 1,900 drown en route. They pledged to nominally relieve the pressure on Italy and Greece by redistributing a fraction of those arriving in the two countries, and to target the Libyan smugglers who are helping the migrants to reach Europe in the first place.Since May, European governments have taken a two-pronged approach to the Mediterranean crisis, which has seen more than 150,000 refugees arrive in Italy and Greece so far this year, and around 1,900 drown en route. They pledged to nominally relieve the pressure on Italy and Greece by redistributing a fraction of those arriving in the two countries, and to target the Libyan smugglers who are helping the migrants to reach Europe in the first place.
Related: Libya's people smugglers: inside the trade that sells refugees hopes of a better life
A major plank of the second part of the plan involved the creation in June of a new intelligence-gathering hub in Catania, Sicily. At the hub, EU bodies such as Europol, the law enforcement agency, and Frontex, the EU’s border force, will collate and share intelligence about smugglers – intelligence which could then be used to “disrupt” their operations.A major plank of the second part of the plan involved the creation in June of a new intelligence-gathering hub in Catania, Sicily. At the hub, EU bodies such as Europol, the law enforcement agency, and Frontex, the EU’s border force, will collate and share intelligence about smugglers – intelligence which could then be used to “disrupt” their operations.
Cameron is one of the biggest cheerleaders of the plan. After pledging six intelligence officers to the Catania outfit in June, the prime minister’s spokeswoman argued: “The first step in being able to successfully disrupt those gangs is gathering intelligence about them.”Cameron is one of the biggest cheerleaders of the plan. After pledging six intelligence officers to the Catania outfit in June, the prime minister’s spokeswoman argued: “The first step in being able to successfully disrupt those gangs is gathering intelligence about them.”
But Van Gemert admitted that the intelligence gathered in Sicily would not be sufficient to tackle smuggling kingpins based hundreds of miles away on the shores of a different continent, in a country wracked by civil war.But Van Gemert admitted that the intelligence gathered in Sicily would not be sufficient to tackle smuggling kingpins based hundreds of miles away on the shores of a different continent, in a country wracked by civil war.
Asked whether information sourced from Sicily “would be enough to properly understand the individuals who are working in Libya, and how they operate”, Van Gemert said: “No, surely it isn’t. Because obviously you know the situation in Libya is difficult. It’s difficult also for us, and that goes for the [Libyan] government, and that goes for the partners [in Libya] – if we had any questions [for them] – so it’s nearly impossible. So surely this information is not enough.”Asked whether information sourced from Sicily “would be enough to properly understand the individuals who are working in Libya, and how they operate”, Van Gemert said: “No, surely it isn’t. Because obviously you know the situation in Libya is difficult. It’s difficult also for us, and that goes for the [Libyan] government, and that goes for the partners [in Libya] – if we had any questions [for them] – so it’s nearly impossible. So surely this information is not enough.”
Attempting to gloss over the admission, he said the operation would also derive intelligence from sources outside Sicily, sources that would allow European countries to at least “try to find out who is responsible”.Attempting to gloss over the admission, he said the operation would also derive intelligence from sources outside Sicily, sources that would allow European countries to at least “try to find out who is responsible”.
But Van Gemert also disclosed that Europol does not have any representatives working inside Libya itself, due to the absence of an EU mission in the country, raising further questions about the operation’s effectiveness. He claimed European military intelligence agents are still able to send information from Libya. But pressed again on whether even this information would be detailed enough to destroy the smugglers’ boats, he said: “It’s not enough to only act in this way – if you want to solve this problem, or react to this problem, it’s not enough to do this … It has to be a combined activity, and surely law enforcement will not solve the problem of immigration, that’s also a fact.”
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But Van Gemert also disclosed that Europol does not have any representatives working inside Libya itself, due to the absence of an EU mission in the country, raising further questions about the operation’s effectiveness. He claimed European military intelligence agents are still able to send information from Libya. But pressed again on whether even this information would be detailed enough to destroy the smugglers’ boats, he said: “It’s not enough to only act in this way – if you want to solve this problem, or react to this problem, it’s not enough to do this … It has to be a combined activity, and surely law enforcement will not solve the problem of immigration, that’s also a fact.”
On the plus side, Van Gemert argued, the Sicily cell would be well-placed to monitor smuggling and trafficking in Italy and Europe itself. But he admitted that he was not aware that Eritrean people smugglers have set up their own operational hub in a disused car park a few streets from the EU’s new anti-smuggling headquarters in Catania.On the plus side, Van Gemert argued, the Sicily cell would be well-placed to monitor smuggling and trafficking in Italy and Europe itself. But he admitted that he was not aware that Eritrean people smugglers have set up their own operational hub in a disused car park a few streets from the EU’s new anti-smuggling headquarters in Catania.
Related: Libya's people smugglers: inside the trade that sells refugees hopes of a better life
Smugglers take recent Eritrean arrivals to the former car park, which is in full view of a busy market in central Catania, and keep them there until their relatives send money for the onwards journey through Europe. Refugees interviewed at the site by the Guardian said they were in fact taken to Catania from the Italian mainland because smugglers feel more at liberty to operate in the city than elsewhere. “Every day they bring more Eritreans here,” said one refugee at the site, who asked not to be named to protect his safety.Smugglers take recent Eritrean arrivals to the former car park, which is in full view of a busy market in central Catania, and keep them there until their relatives send money for the onwards journey through Europe. Refugees interviewed at the site by the Guardian said they were in fact taken to Catania from the Italian mainland because smugglers feel more at liberty to operate in the city than elsewhere. “Every day they bring more Eritreans here,” said one refugee at the site, who asked not to be named to protect his safety.
Highlighting the irony of the situation, Abdel Fatah Mohamed, an Eritrean activist in Catania, said: “The traffickers bring them here even though Frontex [and Europol] have their big office here.”Highlighting the irony of the situation, Abdel Fatah Mohamed, an Eritrean activist in Catania, said: “The traffickers bring them here even though Frontex [and Europol] have their big office here.”
Asked about the smugglers’ Catania hub, Van Gemert said: “I’m at a level in which I don’t know every operational detail, and … well, sometimes journalists get even more information than law enforcement agencies. But this will be something that is known by the Italian authorities also.”Asked about the smugglers’ Catania hub, Van Gemert said: “I’m at a level in which I don’t know every operational detail, and … well, sometimes journalists get even more information than law enforcement agencies. But this will be something that is known by the Italian authorities also.”