Berlin Says 550 Germans Joined Jihadist Cause in Syria, Iraq

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Hundreds of Germans have left their home country to fight alongside jihadists in Syria and Iraq, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said.

"We estimate 550. Just a few days ago we had 450," the minister told German television channel Phoenix on Friday.

"These young people... were radicalised in Germany, within this society. That's why prevention must be accompanied by repression," he added.

Most of those who have joined the Islamic State organisation's jihadist cause are men, although some women have also travelled to the two war-torn countries.

De Maiziere said authorities are keeping a close watch on some 230 more people who are considered potential threats on German soil.

"We cannot exclude, and in certain cases it's actually quite possible, that they are preparing an attack," the minister said.

In mid-October, Germany announced new measures to prevent its citizens from travelling to join the jihadist cause in Iraq and Syria, including confiscating their identity papers.

Concerns are mounting in Europe over the growing national security threat posed by jihadists returning from war-ravaged Syria and Iraq.

Comments 5
Missing Ghazanfar 22 November 2014, 15:34

550, geez that's nothing not if you compare them to the thousands upon thousands of Hezbollah ISlamic Resistance JihadISts who previously were and currently are performing their JihadISt duties in Bosnia, Iraq, Egypt, Syria etc. I hear that their dedicated 72 virgins are handsomer than the other Jihadists' virgins. They reportedly take care of their ironic facial hairs and their moustaches are not only something they grow during Movember I know that Abbas al-Mousawi, Imad Mughniyah, Hassan LaqIS and all the others should be enjoying their services.

Missing peace 22 November 2014, 17:08

sure those gvt are salafis, aren't they? that is the simple logic of simple hezbi minds.....

Missing peace 22 November 2014, 18:18

sure they harbor them and feed them and even send them.... we know your twisted logic....

grrr mean west attacking poor assad the democrat... let me shed a tear....snif... poor southern, very sad to see you so upset that the syrian regime is about to collapse....

Missing peace 22 November 2014, 18:23

oh! and you never complained about bashar that harboured and financed islamists groups for decades and sent them to Lebanon or elsewhere when the regime needed it....

see how hypocrit you hezbi lovers are!

Thumb kanaandian 23 November 2014, 01:42

you mean: 500 filthy turkish immigrants.