EU States Want to Step Up Measures Against Citizens Returning from Syria

Local Editor

Nine European countries endorsed plans to step up intelligence-sharing and take down extremist websites to try to stop European citizens going to fight in Syria and bringing violence back to their countries, according to a statement on Thursday.

According to a statement from the French and Belgian interior ministers, the proposals drawn up by France and Belgium were broadly supported by the other countries - Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Britain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Spain - at a meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday.

Officials from the group will hold meetings with "the leading Internet operators" this month [May] to look into the possibilities for immediately shutting down web sites and barring messages that spread hatred or encourage violent militancy or terrorism, the statement said.

Moreover, a British proposal to create a European task force to use media campaigns to counter the extremists' message received wide backing from other ministers, the statement said.

Other proposals include using airline passenger data to track people returning from Syria, information-sharing and follow-up when authorities detect someone who has been in Syria, putting information about such people on an EU data base used by border guards and police, and sending the information to Europol, the EU's law enforcement agency.

Experts are attempting to work on details of the new measures before they are decided on by ministers at a meeting in Milan in July.

European governments are deeply concerned about some of their citizens going to fight in Syria and bringing extreme ideas as well as the ability to handle weapons back to Europe.

Sources: News Agencies, Edited by website team