By Ala Shalli
COLOGNE, Germany - More than 180 German members of the Islamic State (ISIS) have returned home from war-ravaged Syria, officials in Germany told Rudaw.
Authorities said legal actions have already been taken against some of the returnees, while others will remain under strict surveillance.
“Nearly 600 Germans have travelled to Syria to join ISIS, of which more than 60 have already died there,” Thomas de Maizière, federal minister of the interior, said at a press conference in Cologne. “We will take further actions to prevent the returnees from traveling back to Syria and Iraq,” he added.
Most of the German home comers who have served with ISIS have had their passports revoked in an effort by German authorities to limit their movements.
But officials warn “harder punishments” will await those who take part in the Sunni extremists’ armed campaign in Syria and Iraq.
“I hope the parliament will soon ratify a law which enables us to revoke the citizenship of those who join jihadist militants anywhere,” de Maizière said.
The German government has so far banned an extremist Salafi organization in the country, which it says propagated in support of the Islamic militants. Officials have encouraged Muslim organizations to help the government prevent youth from joining extremist groups.
“The parents should inform us if they suspect that their children have the intention to travel or join the militants. The sport and religious organizations can also be of great help,” de Maizière added.
Authorities say European intelligence services have advanced their cooperation in order to protect Europe from any ISIS threats.
“We know what’s happening in the ISIS camps in Syria,” said the minister.
“There are those who have returned and regret that they ever traveled there. But there are also those who pose an imminent danger to our security in Germany and Europe.”
“We take every measure to protect our citizens,” he vowed.
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