Spanish MEP Juan Fernando López Aguilar speaks to us for the European Day on the Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism. Commemorating the deadly attacks in Madrid in 2004, he makes clear that totalitarianism is the real threat. Europe needs to work together

Interview: War on terror, not Islam - López Aguilar

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/20212320/N003-0049-EN.srt

Juan Fernando López Aguilar,   6 years on from the train attack

have we learnt anything about   how to deal with terrorism?

Of course, Spain and Europe have learnt.

The first lesson is that it's not   knocking on the Spanish door,

It's knocking on all our doors   as it affects all of us.

The second lesson is that   we have to cooperate,

we have to share intelligence,   capabilities and legal responsibilities.

We have to act together   if we want to be effective.

The third lesson is that the fight   against terrorism is not a military war.

It cannot be fought   on a military basis exclusively.

It cannot be won just for the sake   of defeating the enemy.

We must stay informed,   active and ready to respond.

Spain had been fighting   terrorism for many years :

ETA terrorists fighting for   separatism for the Basque country.

Of course, that's a very important lesson.

We've been fighting ETA   terrorism for 35 years

all along the Spanish transition   to democracy,

then throughout the experience   of constitutional democracy.

Just to learn that ETA   is not about Francoism.

It's about democracy,   liberty and pluralism.

Secondly, that ETA is not alone   in the galaxy of terror.

There are some other forms of terrorism   that have to be dealt with properly.

Thirdly, that the fight against terror   is a continuous fight

because the necessity   of renewing your capabilities...

is a must for all democratic countries   which must cooperate

and share capabilities at our disposal   if we want to be effective.

Do you feel the attack had a long-term   effect on Spanish psyche,

I must say that it is an important asset   of the Spanish social fabric,

that we've been fighting against   ETA for so long

and we have never confused ETA terror,   ETA totalitarianism

with Basque nationalism   which is legitimate.

In the Basque sphere there is   a Basque autonomous government

working for more than 30 years now, in   the national and European parliaments.

By the same token 'jihadist terrorism'   is not about Islam.

It's about a form   of totalitarian resentment,

hatred speech   and hatred based action.

So there is no mistake,   we must fight jihadist terrorism

It's a war on totalitarianism   and a war on terror.

Juan Fernando López Aguilar, thank you.   -Thank you.