In recent years, Europe has become a main theater of Islamist terrorism, with major terrorist attacks in Madrid and London and dozens of foiled plots throughout the Continent. The 9/11 Commission listed European cities with Muslim communities (along with the Afghan-Pakistani border, the Horn of Africa, and Southeast Asia) among the places where terrorists seek sanctuary and operating bases. The U. S. perception of the problem of Islamist extremism in Europe is primarily one of radicalization as a stage in the progression toward terrorism. While also concerned about the radicalization and recruitment of European Muslims into terrorist groups, Europeans see radicalization in the context of the broader social problem of integration of the Continent’s Muslim communities. In Paris, Berlin, London, and Madrid, the integration problem is seen, first and foremost, in terms of inadequate economic, social, and political participation; high unemployment rates; criminality; and other social issues.

Europe is home to at least 15 million Muslims (not counting Turkey’s 68 million). Immigration and above-average birthrates make immigrants of Middle Eastern origin one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in European societies. But most of these Muslims lag behind the average in education, income, economic opportunities, and political participation. Integrating these communities, with their very different cultural backgrounds, is one of Europe’s most challenging social problems.