More Swedes join terror groups to fight in Syria: Officials

More Swedes join terror groups to fight in Syria: Officials
Mon Dec 16, 2013 19:14:00

At least 75 people have left Swede to fight in Syria since mid-2012, more than doubling an estimate from earlier this year, Sweden's security police, SAPO, says.

The figures which were presented on Monday highlight a rising trend seen across Europe of militants joining al-Qaeda-linked terrorist groups waging war in Syria.

Those who travel from Sweden are mainly men aged between 18 and 30. Many are new recruits, who haven't been involved with militant groups before, SAPO's chief counterterrorism analyst, Jonathan Peste, said.

In April SAPO said it believed around 30 fighters had left Sweden for Syria.

In November, a source close to Syrian presidency said that, tens of thousands of foreign militants from over 80 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the US and European countries, are fighting in Syria.

RA/NJF
 

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