LONDON – The majority of foreign recruits fighting for the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq come from just four European countries, with Belgium – where deadly attacks last month were claimed by ISIS jihadists – having the highest per capita contingent, according to study by a Dutch-based NGO. “The majority of around 2,838 foreign fighters come from just four countries: Belgium, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, with Belgium having the highest per-capita FF (foreign fighters) contingent,” said the study by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. Up to 23 percent of the foreign fighters from the EU are converts to Islam and 17 percent are women, the study said. Foreign fighters number between 3,922 - 4,294, out of which 30 percent have returned to their home countries and 14 percent are confirmed dead, the study claimed. “There is no clear-cut profile of a European foreign fighter. Data indicates that a majority originate from metropolitan areas, with many coming from the same neighborhoods,” it said. “The radicalization process of foreign fighters is reported to be short and often involves circles of friends radicalizing as a group and deciding to leave jointly for Syria and Iraq,” the report said. US intelligence officials said in February last year that foreign fighters were streaming into Syria and Iraq in unprecedented numbers to join ISIS or other extremist groups, including at least 3,400 from Western nations among 20,000 from around the world. Intelligence agencies say that as many as 150 Americans have tried and some have succeeded in reaching in the Syrian war zone.
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