Introducing "Mr. Terrorism" -- Dutch politician in line for EU post (al Qaeda quakes in its sandals)

EUbusiness.com, Drudge ^ | 26 March 04 | Unknown

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Dutch politician in line for EU "Mr Terrorism" post

24 March 2004

Former Dutch deputy interior minister Gijs de Vries is in line to be appointed the European Union's new anti-terrorism coordinator at an EU summit this week, officials said Wednesday.

EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana will nominate de Vries when EU leaders decide Thursday evening whether to press ahead with the new job, which was proposed after the March 11 attacks in Madrid, sources said.

The post of anti-terrorism coordinator was proposed by EU interior ministers last week to oversee the disparate fields involved in the fight against extremism.

De Vries, 47, is the only name in the frame so far, the sources said.

He was deputy interior minister of the Netherlands between 1998 and 2002. He sat on a convention that drafted the EU's first constitution, another major issue to be tackled by the heads of government Thursday.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Now here's a manly man to guide the EU's battle against terrorism.

[lormand]

There is nothing more feminine than a European male.

[r9etb]

the fight against extremism

An interesting way to put it.... The EU still doesn't have a firm grasp on what this is all about.

[7.62 x 51mm]

What's that EU-WIMP going to do? Negotiate and compromise the terrorists to death? Phew and blech on the EU and him!

[Redcoat LI]

I found his yearbook photo.

[Puddleglum]

Why can't I find a picture of Monty Python's "Mr. Neutron" online when I need one?!?!?

[cinFLA]

I would give anyone the benefit of the doubt till ...

Previous positions held at national or local level:
- lecturer in political science at the University of Leiden from 1981 to 1984
- Municipal councillor in Leiden from 1 January 1982 to 13 December 1984
- State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations from 2 August 1998 to 22 July 2002
- member of the House of Representatives of the States General from 23 May 2002 at European level: - member of the European Parliament from 24 July 1984 to 2 August 1998
- leading candidate of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) at the 1989 European elections
- leading candidate of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) at the 1994 European elections
- leader of the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament from July 1994 to August 1998

[Callahan]

They went out and hired Rick Moranis? What's he going to do? Send the terrorists a perturbed email on his government-issue Blackberry?

[tractorman]

The EU terror alert level just went from retreat to surrender.

[Robert357]

The guy and the position is "official EU scapegoat should anything go wrong." Should another terroist attack happen, all the EU countries want to point to someone to say, "it was his fault this happened, he should have done something."

[Callahan]

Separated at birth?

[Puddleglum]

Ack -- his nostrils are collapsing into back holes! The universe as we know it is doomed!

[cinFLA]

It looks more like they put in a socialist to appease the terrorists.

- leading candidate of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) at the 1989 European elections
- leading candidate of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) at the 1994 European elections
- leader of the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament from July 1994 to August 1998

[rrrod]

NOTE TO THE EU....thanks for all the laffs...

[Valin]

Profile: New EU anti-terror tsar

George Wright and agencies
Friday March 26, 2004

Gijs de Vries, the Dutch politician named as Europe's first 'anti-terror tsar', is by no means a household name. But he is well-known and respected on the EU's political stage following a stint as president of the Dutch Liberal party in the European Parliament.

Mr de Vries, a former minister and MEP, is seen as an "efficient" technocrat, handpicked for the newly-created post of anti-terrorism coordinator, rather than a high-profile political name. He is expected to bolster the continent's defences to protect against terror attacks such as the Madrid train bombings earlier this month, in which almost 200 people were killed.

The role he is stepping into was originally mooted many months ago but was finally created last night at an EU summit of 25 states. It was among a raft of emergency anti-terror measures enacted in the wake of the Madrid attack.

From Monday, when he officially takes up his post at the EU's Brussels headquarters, Mr de Vries will begin pooling the national anti-terrorist efforts and intelligence-gathering of EU states. He will report to Javier Solana, the EU's security chief, and correspond with security services in each country.

A key aspect of Mr de Vries' task will involve what Romano Prodi, the European commission president, referred to as breaking down "the cultural obstacles to cooperation" between police in different EU countries.

His appointment has surprised some commentators who point to the Dutchman's lack of intelligence experience and low international profile.

However, Mr de Vries' supporters point to his work as Dutch deputy internal minister from 1998 to 2002, when he was responsible for national disaster response, as evidence of his suitability for the role. They argue that his businesslike approach and political knowledge make him well-equipped to oversee the fight against terror in Europe.

"He has the right profile for the position," Mr Solana said last night. "What is important is coordination. All the internal, domestic aspects of terrorism need to be tied in with the external, international aspects."

In London, Europe minister Denis MacShane brushed aside possible concerns over the appointment of a relatively low profile politician to such a high profile post.

He told Guardian Unlimited: "What we need to fight terrorism are very dedicated, very efficient people. The Dutch have a good record on such matters and Gijs de Vries will do a good job. It's results that count, not the number of column inches you have in the press."

The 48-year-old was born in New York and holds dual US-Dutch citizenship. He is fluent in English, French, German and Dutch.

He gained a degree in political science at the University of Leiden before continuing to a postgraduate course at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. His first involvement in politics was in 1982 when he was elected municipal councillor in Leiden.

His experience at European political level began in 1984 when he was elected as the Dutch Liberal party's MEP.

He continued in that role until 1998, taking on the presidency of the Liberal party in the European Parliament from 1994 until the end of his term in office.

Mr de Vries then served as The Netherlands' representative on the European convention that drafted an EU constitution in 2002 and 2003.

Other anti-terror measures agreed at the summit include increased border controls and tracking of phone records, cracking down faster on terrorist finances and creating a European database of terror suspects.

Announcing the moves, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, the summit host, said: "The threat of terrorism is a threat to our security, our democracy and our way of life in the European Union. We'll do everything in our power to protect our people from this threat."
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,9061,1178655,00.html

[Diogenesis]

FLASHBACK: EU ADMIRES AND LICKS UP TO TERRORISTS

Eager EU's wankers and leaders at their "EU-Lick-up-to-a-Terrorist" queue
to serially kiss the lips of Villepan's, Solana's and the EU's greatest terrorist-hero,
Arafat, serial murderer of hundreds and hundreds of innocent, including elderly and children.

[Esther Ruth]

Wow - my kids saw the picture and laughed, I can just see all the bullies in his class pummeling him with spit balls. Someone quick post the picture of W with the football!!

[fishtank]

[fishtank]

[Callahan]

De Vries, who is married, holds a degree in political science from the Dutch university in Leiden and did post-graduate work in Florence.

He counts music, skiing and bird watching among his hobbies.

Sounds like real loose cannon.