Germany: Returned IS fighters: AfD warns of "ticking time bombs"
Berlin - In the past ten years, more than 1,100 Islamists have emigrated from Germany to the war zones in Syria and Iraq. As the federal government replied to a small request from the AfD parliamentary group, which the Junge Freiheit has received, the security authorities are aware of 1,150 Islamist fighters who have left Germany since 2011. 25 percent of them are female.
The majority of those who left Germany were under 30 years of age at the time they left the Federal Republic of Germany. "About 65 percent of these people who have traveled have specific indications that they are participating in or have participated in hostilities on the part of the Islamic State, al-Qaeda or their related groups, as well as other terrorist groups, or that they otherwise support them or have supported them", the answer continues.
More than a third returned
The majority of the fighters left Germany between 2013 and 2015: Since 2019 there have only been a few departures, not a single one in the current year. More than half of the Islamists (664) have German citizenship. However, this group also includes those fighters who have another citizenship in addition to German. The second largest group with 151 people were Turks, followed by Syrians (79) and Russians (54).
Around 37 percent of Islamists have now returned to Germany. 20 percent of them are female. Four people were brought back to Germany at the instigation of the federal government. The Federal Ministry of the Interior classified information about the resulting costs as non-public classified information because of the personal rights of those affected.
As far as the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) was aware, investigations had been initiated against 276 of the returned people on the basis of criminal offenses related to their departure to Syria or Iraq. “According to the information available to the BKA, 83 people have so far been convicted; 140 preliminary investigations are currently still pending and 53 proceedings have been suspended."
The majority of the fighters left Germany between 2013 and 2015: Since 2019 there have only been a few departures, not a single one in the current year. More than half of the Islamists (664) have German citizenship. However, this group also includes those fighters who have another citizenship in addition to German. The second largest group with 151 people were Turks, followed by Syrians (79) and Russians (54).
Around 37 percent of Islamists have now returned to Germany. 20 percent of them are female. Four people were brought back to Germany at the instigation of the federal government. The Federal Ministry of the Interior classified information about the resulting costs as non-public classified information because of the personal rights of those affected.
As far as the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) was aware, investigations had been initiated against 276 of the returned people on the basis of criminal offenses related to their departure to Syria or Iraq. “According to the information available to the BKA, 83 people have so far been convicted; 140 preliminary investigations are currently still pending and 53 proceedings have been suspended."
"No IS terrorist can be a member of society"
The AfD warned of the danger posed by Islamist fighters in the country. "These are ticking time bombs," said the AfD member of the Bundestag Stephan Brander, who initiated the request. “The idea that hundreds who have joined the IS terrorist network out of conviction are roaming freely in Germany is frightening. It should be undisputed that no IS terrorist can be a member of society in Germany."
The people represented an enormous security risk. Nobody went to the Islamic State out of boredom. Many of those affected had committed crimes in the war zones. Brandner said it was too low that investigations had only been initiated against 276 of the returnees.
The AfD warned of the danger posed by Islamist fighters in the country. "These are ticking time bombs," said the AfD member of the Bundestag Stephan Brander, who initiated the request. “The idea that hundreds who have joined the IS terrorist network out of conviction are roaming freely in Germany is frightening. It should be undisputed that no IS terrorist can be a member of society in Germany."
The people represented an enormous security risk. Nobody went to the Islamic State out of boredom. Many of those affected had committed crimes in the war zones. Brandner said it was too low that investigations had only been initiated against 276 of the returnees.
Source: Junge Freiheit
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