From student of generation to Jihad holy warrior
His name is Mirza Ganic. He is 19 and is from Novi Pazar. He was a student of generation with all excellent marks at the...»
The European Union is growing increasingly concerned about Islamic
extremists from the region who joined the fighting in Syria and are now
returning home, bringing a more radicalised and dangerous element into
Europe.
"The phenomenon is particularly worrying," French Interior Minister Manuel Valls told The Associated Press.
The office of the EU Counter-Terrorism Co-ordinator Gilles de Kerchove delivered a note to the EU ministers last week, asking for "better use of airline passenger information available to security officials to keep track of when and how rebels move to Syria" and a series of other measures including a "crackdown legally on recruitment networks," co-operation with third countries including Turkey and monitoring of internet activities.
The EU ministers have agreed on the need for "a more integrated approach on information exchange, as well as the detection and pursuit of jihadist movements" and appealed for a "rapid adoption of a new European strategy to fight radicalism."
The union sees the situation as a major security threat.
"They are not some romantic freedom fighters," Britain's counter-terrorism chief Helen Ball said.
About 2,000 fighters from Europe are believed to be fighting in Syria with the rebel forces, an increase since the spring, when estimates placed the number at 600 to 800. About 500 fighters from Balkan countries, "highlighting the contribution from small nations like Bosnia and Kosovo," are believed to be involved, according to the EU official quoted by the AP.
The official noted that there were "80 to 100" fighters from Kosovo. Speaking to SETimes, Kosovo police confirmed that some Kosovo citizens are involved in the fighting in Syria, but officials said this number is "small."
On December 4th, Kosovo media reported that police at Pristina's airport detained a Kosovo Albanian fighter returning from Syria, who arrived from Turkey. Kosovo police have not confirmed or denied the detention. Specialists are analysing possible risks to the security of the country, closely co-operating with the prosecutor's office for the further steps.
"There is information for some returns," Kosovo police said in a statement for SETimes. "The fact that some people from Kosovo have been involved in the fighting in Syria represents concern that danger might increase because these volunteers can bring back to Kosovo as well these elements or this spirit."
However, Kosovo police assessed that the state does not presently face a high-level danger of terrorism, although "Kosovo is not immune [to it], as any other state."
Kosovo legislation has no sanctions for citizens who are involved in armed conflicts outside the country, however, as Seb Bytyci, executive director of the Balkan Policy Institute in Pristina noted, some states have considered arresting those who have gone to fight in Syria.
"Something like that can be done … or a new law can be drafted," Bytyci told SETimes.
On December 5th, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) approved amendments to its criminal code that prohibit the departure of BiH citizens to foreign battlefields. The amendment proposed by Minister of Security Fahrudin Radoncic, foresees prison sentences for all those who organise, recruit, promote or directly participate in armed conflicts outside BiH.
According to BiH's Secret Service Agency, about 350 BiH citizens are currently fighting in Syria.
According to the amendment, those who recruit fighters and organise their movement from BiH to foreign battlefields will receive the highest punishment -- 10 years in prison, while the fighters themselves can get a minimum three years in prison after they come back to the country.
"I fully support this amendment," Mehmed Bradaric, a member of BiH's Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Security told SETimes. "Those people represent danger for their families first of all and then danger for the entire society. There are law enforcements in BiH which will bring those people to justice. We shouldn't deal with this from next month, like in all other things, but right now, today."
Authorities in the neighbouring Serbia are also proposing legal measures to sanction their citizens fighting in Syria. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic advocated the idea of criminalising both the fighter recruiting process, as well as organisation of their departure to Syria.
"Five-year prison sentences should be sanctioned for the organisers and three-year sentences to those who go," Ljajic told SETimes.
"We have to anticipate the returns [of fighters from Syria], the ways to handle this, the prevention measures and especially the exchange of information on the travels," Belgian Interior Minister Joelle Milquet told the AP.
...................................
setimes
EU calls for joint efforts to increase control on combatants returning from Syria
13/12/2013
Balkan states are strengthening security measures and adopting new sanctions to control the movement of their citizens fighting in Syria.
By Linda Karadaku for Southeast European Times in Pristina -- 13/12/13
 Authorities
and experts in the region are concerned about the increased number of
Balkan volunteers fighting on the side of the rebels in Syria. [AFP] |
"The phenomenon is particularly worrying," French Interior Minister Manuel Valls told The Associated Press.
The office of the EU Counter-Terrorism Co-ordinator Gilles de Kerchove delivered a note to the EU ministers last week, asking for "better use of airline passenger information available to security officials to keep track of when and how rebels move to Syria" and a series of other measures including a "crackdown legally on recruitment networks," co-operation with third countries including Turkey and monitoring of internet activities.
The EU ministers have agreed on the need for "a more integrated approach on information exchange, as well as the detection and pursuit of jihadist movements" and appealed for a "rapid adoption of a new European strategy to fight radicalism."
The union sees the situation as a major security threat.
"They are not some romantic freedom fighters," Britain's counter-terrorism chief Helen Ball said.
About 2,000 fighters from Europe are believed to be fighting in Syria with the rebel forces, an increase since the spring, when estimates placed the number at 600 to 800. About 500 fighters from Balkan countries, "highlighting the contribution from small nations like Bosnia and Kosovo," are believed to be involved, according to the EU official quoted by the AP.
The official noted that there were "80 to 100" fighters from Kosovo. Speaking to SETimes, Kosovo police confirmed that some Kosovo citizens are involved in the fighting in Syria, but officials said this number is "small."
On December 4th, Kosovo media reported that police at Pristina's airport detained a Kosovo Albanian fighter returning from Syria, who arrived from Turkey. Kosovo police have not confirmed or denied the detention. Specialists are analysing possible risks to the security of the country, closely co-operating with the prosecutor's office for the further steps.
"There is information for some returns," Kosovo police said in a statement for SETimes. "The fact that some people from Kosovo have been involved in the fighting in Syria represents concern that danger might increase because these volunteers can bring back to Kosovo as well these elements or this spirit."
However, Kosovo police assessed that the state does not presently face a high-level danger of terrorism, although "Kosovo is not immune [to it], as any other state."
Kosovo legislation has no sanctions for citizens who are involved in armed conflicts outside the country, however, as Seb Bytyci, executive director of the Balkan Policy Institute in Pristina noted, some states have considered arresting those who have gone to fight in Syria.
"Something like that can be done … or a new law can be drafted," Bytyci told SETimes.
On December 5th, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) approved amendments to its criminal code that prohibit the departure of BiH citizens to foreign battlefields. The amendment proposed by Minister of Security Fahrudin Radoncic, foresees prison sentences for all those who organise, recruit, promote or directly participate in armed conflicts outside BiH.
According to BiH's Secret Service Agency, about 350 BiH citizens are currently fighting in Syria.
According to the amendment, those who recruit fighters and organise their movement from BiH to foreign battlefields will receive the highest punishment -- 10 years in prison, while the fighters themselves can get a minimum three years in prison after they come back to the country.
"I fully support this amendment," Mehmed Bradaric, a member of BiH's Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Security told SETimes. "Those people represent danger for their families first of all and then danger for the entire society. There are law enforcements in BiH which will bring those people to justice. We shouldn't deal with this from next month, like in all other things, but right now, today."
Authorities in the neighbouring Serbia are also proposing legal measures to sanction their citizens fighting in Syria. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic advocated the idea of criminalising both the fighter recruiting process, as well as organisation of their departure to Syria.
"Five-year prison sentences should be sanctioned for the organisers and three-year sentences to those who go," Ljajic told SETimes.
"We have to anticipate the returns [of fighters from Syria], the ways to handle this, the prevention measures and especially the exchange of information on the travels," Belgian Interior Minister Joelle Milquet told the AP.
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setimes
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