Between 5,000 and 6,000 Europeans have traveled to Syria to join the
Islamic State, the EU Commissioner for Justice says stressing that 1,450
of them are French citizens.
The EU officials believe that “the figures are strongly under-estimated,” as foreign fighters are hard to keep track of, French newspaper Le Figaro reported citing Vera Jourova, the EU justice commissioner.
"At the European level, we estimate that 5,000 to 6,000 individuals have left for Syria," she told the paper in an interview.
Jourova added that the majority of them – 1,450 people – are French nationals.
The Commissioner added that they are eyeing more measures to avoid the suspected jihadists leaving the EU countries, considering “prevention [measures] rather than suppression” of the flow.
“We’ve allotted a budget of €2.5 million to provide training of prison and probation staff, as well as that of European prosecutors,” Jourova said.
The EU nationals traveling to Syria cause authorities’ concern, as the European governments fear they may return and carry out attacks on home soil.
At least one European, Mehdi Nemmouche, participated in such an attack, and suspected of killing four people in Jewish Museum in Brussels last year.
"At the time of the attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, we decided not to allow ourselves to be guided by fear," Jourova said, speaking of January’s deadly assaults in the French capital, and the fatal shootings in Denmark a month later.
Read more: Up to 6,000 Europeans joined ISIS in Syria – EU — RT News
The EU officials believe that “the figures are strongly under-estimated,” as foreign fighters are hard to keep track of, French newspaper Le Figaro reported citing Vera Jourova, the EU justice commissioner.
"At the European level, we estimate that 5,000 to 6,000 individuals have left for Syria," she told the paper in an interview.
Jourova added that the majority of them – 1,450 people – are French nationals.
The Commissioner added that they are eyeing more measures to avoid the suspected jihadists leaving the EU countries, considering “prevention [measures] rather than suppression” of the flow.
“We’ve allotted a budget of €2.5 million to provide training of prison and probation staff, as well as that of European prosecutors,” Jourova said.
The EU nationals traveling to Syria cause authorities’ concern, as the European governments fear they may return and carry out attacks on home soil.
At least one European, Mehdi Nemmouche, participated in such an attack, and suspected of killing four people in Jewish Museum in Brussels last year.
"At the time of the attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, we decided not to allow ourselves to be guided by fear," Jourova said, speaking of January’s deadly assaults in the French capital, and the fatal shootings in Denmark a month later.
Read more: Up to 6,000 Europeans joined ISIS in Syria – EU — RT News
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