Following a series of terrorist attacks, Europe’s legislators gear up to fight radical Islamic propaganda more effectively. On December 10, the European Union passed a law designed to prevent “the dissemination of terrorist content online.” The EU also plans to punish perpetrators abroad. The recent laws are only a few of the many signs that Europe is entering a new stage in its war against terror.

Terrorist groups like the Islamic State use social media networks to spread their propaganda and recruit supporters. Even some German citizens have joined the radical group as a result. Yet now, online services such as Facebook and YouTube will have to delete content from their platforms within an hour of them being flagged by the responsible authority of the respective EU member state.

The new law comes in response to a series of terrorist attacks that have once again shocked Europe. On October 4, a Syrian perpetrator killed one man and wounded another in a knife attack in Dresden, Germany. In Vienna, Austria, a member of the Islamic State killed four and wounded 20 in a shooting.

In France, a teacher was beheaded by a radical Islamist for showing students a caricature of Mohammed. In response, France passed a law to weaken foreign influence, punish calls for hatred, and prohibit “religiously motivated practices,” Spiegel Online reported on December 9, writing that France has taken “massive action against Islamists.” A survey in France, revealed that 88 percent of the population are concerned about Islamism, 58 percent are “very concerned.”

French Prime Minister Jean Castex qualified the law, stating that the text was not “aimed against religions or against the Muslim religion, in particular.” But it was a law against extremist currents, “a law of protection” that would free Muslims from the grip of radicals.

“The law also bans ‘clandestine’ schools that promote Islamist ideology and tightens rules on homeschooling,” bbc reported. “It would also reinforce the ban on polygamy by refusing residency to polygamous applicants. Doctors could be fined or banned for performing virginity tests on girls. There are new rules on financial transparency for Muslim associations and a requirement that they sign up to France’s republican values in return for funding.”

An article in the new law calls, among other things, for up to three years in prison and a fine of $54,714 for anyone who “puts someone else’s life at risk by disseminating information about their private and family life or their job.”

There are also indications that Europe is looking to stop terrorist propaganda at its root, not just on the Continent, but abroad. At a December 7 meeting in Brussels, EU foreign ministers unanimously decided on a new global “human rights regime.” German-Foreign-Policy.com noted on December 8 in “The Global Judges (II)” that the EU adopted a new law to allegedly sanction human rights violators. The article noted: “With its new sanctions regime, the EU is posing as a global judge and avenger of factual or alleged human rights violations. A relevant sanctions law, largely modeled after the U.S. American ‘Global Magnitsky Act’ was passed yesterday by the foreign ministers of the EU. It entitles the Union to freeze the assets and block the visas of citizens of foreign countries accused of serious human rights violations.”

People can be sanctioned for “systematic and extensive violations” in cases of human smuggling, sexual violence and violations of the rights of assembly, freedom of expression and religion.

The law aims, primarily, to punish serious human rights violations, such as genocide, torture, slavery, state-sanctioned murders and arbitrary arrests. Various dictators and leaders in the Middle East who sponsor terrorism would certainly fall under this category.

Germany is leading the charge in pressing this law forward. “The German government has been particularly active in promoting the EU’s own sanctions law,” German-Foreign-Policy.com noted. In November 2019, State Secretary of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andreas Michaelis announced that during Germany’s term as EU Council president, Berlin would work toward the “implementation of a pan-EU mechanism for human rights sanctions.” The program for Germany’s EU Council presidency states that “the expansion of the EU’s capacity to impose and implement sanctions” will be promoted. Germany has now achieved its goal.

It has also made several preparations in its own courts that raises the question we asked in one of our recent articles, “Can Germany Arrest Bashar Assad?”

The way Germany is pressing this law forward at the EU level indicates the nation is keen to punish not only the Syrian dictator but also his allies.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that those responsible for torture or refusing to investigate human rights violations will “no longer be permitted to go shopping in Europe carefree.”

But sanctions and court appeals cannot stop radicals with an agenda. Even if they temporarily succeed, one military general will be replaced by the next, one dictator succeeded by another.

It won’t be long until Europe will take the fight against radial Islam to the Middle East. The Bible prophesies in Daniel 11:40 that a clash between Catholic Europe and radical Islam is coming: “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.” In his booklet The King of the South, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry writes: “The king of the north is comprised of several nations, led by one nation, Germany. It makes sense that the king of the south would have a similar composition. All indications point to Iran as the nation that produces the king of the south.” Iran is the chief sponsor of terrorism in the world and its leaders guilty of countless human rights violations. This verse indicates that this clash will be the result of a violent push from Iran and its allies. As Mr. Flurry explains in The King of the South, this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. One way or another Europe will confront the king of the south.

The Trumpet has repeatedly warned that liberal Europe will soon respond aggressively to radical Islam’s push. We are now seeing Europe marching toward the fulfillment of these prophecies. Request a free copy of The King of the South to learn more.