International cooperation vital to fight terrorism

Four people were killed when a knife-wielding man went on a killing spree, driving car into the pedestrians before stabbing a police officer on the parliament compound. The assailant was shot dead by police just yards from entrances to the building itself. People from 11 countries were among the victims and more than 40 people inflicted catastrophic
injuries.
The IS group has claimed the responsibility for the attack. The assailant identified as Khalid Maood,52, was a black man who was born as Adrian Russel Ajao on Christmas Day 1964. He later converted to Islam. Masood was known to authorities who had once investigated him for links to
religious extremism, but was not currently on a terrorism watch list.
London has been a target for terrorism many times over past decades. Just this weekend, hundreds of armed police took part in an exercise
simulating a ‘marauding’ terrorist attack on the River Thames.
London police ruled out any imminent further assaults and believed that it was ‘lone-wolf’ attack. But the horrific tragedy is a grim reminder of the security challenges facing Europe.
The attack came at a time when Britain is all set to begin the formal process of leaving the EU. British Prime Minister Theresa May soon will be engaged in complex negotiations on how to formalize the divorce. Leaders from around the world have issued statements condemning the deadly attacks. Expressions of solidarity and offers of help flooded in from the
European Union governments.
The attack is a sharp reminder of the security threat that UK shares with the European allies. Given this fact, the incident will definitely make UK government to rethink security arrangement and force May to try and keep a key aspect of EU cooperation in light of the interdependence of security services and terror plots across Europe. In the wake of attacks, French presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron has said that there is a need for increased defense and intelligence cooperation with both the UK and Germany in the wake of the attacks. Senior security officials and police have stressed to lawmakers that the UK’s ability to share intelligence must not be hampered by the Brexit process.
The UK is already a member of Europol, which helps police crime across borders, and is a signatory to the European Arrest Warrant system in which EU members transfer people sought by another. EU countries also share data on air passengers and information on suspects.
It is likely that Britain will be denied membership of the European Arrest Warrant after it exits the EU. The police would also be denied access to European databases, and would no longer be able to use the Schengen Information System to quickly check the identity of suspects or their vehicles.
It should be the priority of the UK to keep the warrant. It will be in the interest of both UK and European Union countries to continue the mutual cooperation on security and terrorism. They must work hand in hand in the fight against extremism. Cooperation among nations across the world will be instrumental in combating terrorism.