The free movement of people within the European Union also means the free movement of “Kalashnikov rifles” and “jihadists” within the bloc, the leader of Ukip has said.
Nigel Farage, who advocates withdrawal from the European Union, suggested that the Schengen agreement, which abolishes border controls between European countries, had a role in Friday’s attacks in Paris.
“The warnings were pretty clear. Isis said they would use the migrant tide to flood the EU with half a million jihadists,” he told an audience in Basingstoke on Monday night.
“I would suggest 5000 is too many; 500 is too many… it only took eight to cause that destruction in Paris the other night.
“This dream of the free movement of people, this dream for others of the Schengen area: It hasn’t just meant the free movement of people, it has meant the free movement of Kalashnikov rifles.
“It has meant the free movement of terrorists, and it has meant the free movement of jihadists.”
The Schengen agreement to abolish border controls is distinct from the EU’s freedom of movement rights – which apply to citizens of member states whether or not passports are checked at the border.
The UK is not a member of the agreement and passports are still checked on the way in to Britain. The treaty also provides open borders between the EU and some non-EU countries including Norway and Switzerland.
The European Union has strict border controls for most of the length of its external land borders, however.
Last week European Council president Donald Tusk warned that the agreement could be on the brink of collapse and that there was a “race against time” to save it.
The comments come as countries including Germany, Sweden, and Slovenia impose temporary border restrictions and erect fences to manage refugees arriving in their territory.
French authorities have said most of the suspects in Friday’s Paris attacks are French nationals. Some were based in Belgium.
