European jihadists among Syrian fighters
Damascus (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Jihadists who are citizens of European countries "may also pose a threat to our societies," said EU Counterterrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove who yesterday marked the EU day of Remembrance of victims of terror.
"Together, we must continue to fight terrorism in and outside Europe," he said. "We know that terrorists are constantly seeking out new safe havens where they have space to operate, taking advantage of conflict situations," he added.
Although most of these fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad have a stake in the future of Syria, the latter "has also turned into a destination for European jihadists who want to profit from the situation there and who may also pose a threat to our societies upon their return," he noted.
Back in December 2012, German daily Die Welt published an article that said that about 100 European Muslims had responded to a call for Jihad, joining al-Nusra and other armed extremist Islamist groups.
On many social media, videos and photos have been circulating showing armed men with signs indicating that they are from Europe.
One of them, Abu Ahmad al-Almani, opened a Facebook account. In its article, Die Welt describes the German national (pictured) as "a warrior of Allah" calling "on his German co-religionists to follow him".
Meanwhile, as European nations back the armed rebels, including Islamists, with non-lethal equipment, United Nations and Arab League special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi said that the only way of solving the Syrian conflict is through diplomatic means.
"The situation in Syria resembles Somalia" and is even worse "than what the latter witnessed in the past years," Brahimi said following a meeting with EU foreign ministers at Brussels yesterday.
The ministers "agree with us that" the Syrian crisis "is one of the most dangerous crises the entire world today. I came here to call on them to use their capabilities to help reach a peaceful solution," he told reporters.
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07/10/2014
