Mohammad Merah, the terrorist who murdered seven people in Toulouse, France, including four Jews, was killed following a standoff on Thursday, but the phenomenon of extreme Islam in Europe did not die with him.
In fact, terrorists who carry out attacks such as the ones Merah committed are by no means a surprise and are not something which is new for many Europeans in general and for France in particular.
On Thursday, a fan page for Merah was shut down by Facebook, but not before about 500 users had joined it, many of whom posted messages in support of the terrorist.
Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a new crackdown in France on the spread of terrorist-linked ideologies and activities.
Anyone who regularly visits "websites which support terrorism or call for hate or violence will be punished by the law," Sarkozy said.
He also promised a crackdown on anyone who goes abroad "for the purposes of indoctrination in terrorist ideology."
Sarkozy, as do leaders in England and Belgium, has had to deal with a phenomenon that has gained momentum in recent years whereby Islamic groups try to “conquer” European countries and force them to adhere to extreme Muslim Sharia laws.
Many Muslims see Europe as a continent on which a war should be fought to turn it into a “House of Islam”. These particular Muslims will not rest until they defeat the non-Muslims who are viewed as “infidels.”
In Belgium, for example, a video distributed on the internet in recent months depicts an extremist group who threatens to turn Belgium into a Muslim country.
It was also recently revealed that Muslims constitute one-quarter of the population of Brussels and that the most popular name for newborn babies in the city in 2011 was Muhammad. It was also the most popular name for babies in Antwerp, where an estimated 40 percent of primary school children are Muslims.
Sharia has also been implemented in several places in Britain to the dismay of local residents. According to reports last year, Islamists set up zones where the Muslim Sharia law would be enforced.
Some communities were bombarded with bright yellow posters which read: ‘You are entering a Sharia-controlled zone – Islamic rules enforced.’
The messages were found on bus stops and street lamps and were seen across certain boroughs in London. They order that ‘no gambling’, ‘no music or concerts’, ‘no drugs or smoking’ and ‘no alcohol’ should be seen in the Sharia-controlled zone.
European leaders are aware of the phenomenon and are trying to deal with it, yet at the same time fear that a direct confrontation with these groups will lead to terrorist attacks in these quiet countries. Perhaps the Toulouse terrorist will turn on that red light and will place a warning sign that will cause leaders to work to prevent the next attack.