Europeans Fight Alongside Syrian Rebels
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Jumat, 19 Oktober 2018 23:36 WIB
TEMPO.CO, London - Gilles de Kerchove, European Union Counter Terrorist Chief said that hundreds of Europeans currently fight along the rebels in Syria, against Bashar al-Assad regime. Kerchove predicted the number to be around 500.
European intelligence agency is concerned that those people will join an Al-Qaeda related terrorist group, then return to Europe to launch a terrorist attack.
England, Ireland, and France are few among the European nations to have their people fight in Syria.
"Not all of those persons were radical upon leaving, but there is a huge possibility that they will be once they are there," said de Kerchove to BBC Wednesday, April 24. "And as we can see, they could pose a real threat when they return."
Intelligence agencies across Europe are currently investigating how the rebels were able to recruit Europeans.
In the Netherland, officials have heightened their terror threat level to "substantial", mostly becuase they are concerned about the radicalism of their people who are returning from Syria.
BBC | Abdul Manan
