This won’t be the last one

The Islamic State has taken credit for the strikes in Paris and has released a video urging other Muslims to attack France if they were unable to travel to Syria. The attackers may all be dead, but the conspirators who helped the terrorist acquire the guns and the explosives remain on the loose for now. As long as Islamic State continues to enjoy support among those disenchanted by European and Western countries, such attacks remain a possibility across the European Union.

It will make things worse for refugees flowing into Europe

Islamic State has already taken credit for the attacks. Police officials have now said that one of the attackers had a Syrian passport in his possession. At a time when a steady influx of refugees is making its way into Europe, the attacks in Paris are bound to make things harder for them.

Poland ‘s European affairs minister designate Konrad Szymanski on Saturday said that his country cannot accept migrants under European Union (EU) quotas after the attacks in Paris. Other countries could soon join Poland with similar actions and that would be a tragic turnaround.

It will affect the campaign in Syria

Initial reports claimed that one of the gunmen had claimed the Paris attacks were a reprisal for France’s involvement in the Syrian conflict. French President Francois Hollande declared the attacks in Paris were an act of war and promised reprisal.

“Faced with war, the country must take appropriate action,” he said, without elaborating what that meant.

If France and other Western nations take on a bigger role in Syria it could mean that they might finally smash the stronghold of the terror group. But as this Economist piece points out: “IS might become much more focused on taking the fight to the ‘far enemy'”. This could mean more attacks targeting the European Union. Is the EU prepared for that?

Europe, and France, will have to deal with its illegal guns problem

One big question after the Paris attacks is how the terrorists managed to get assault weapons and explosives that were used in the attacks. A Time report after the Charlie Hebdo attacks had pointed out how jihadists in Europe were able to get access to automatic weapons like Kalashnikovs thanks to organised crime networks that smuggled them from southeastern European countries.

The easy availability of guns in Europe will only make such attacks easier to carry out. Law enforcement authorities will have their hands full trying to clamp down on those selling such weapons illegally, while trying to prevent terror attacks in which they could be used.