German Spy Agency: ’ISIL’ Luring More Recruits from the Country

Local Editor

German intelligence sounded the alarm about a rising number of extremist militants inside Germany ready to join so-called "Daesh" ["ISIL"] in Iraq and Syria and warned of an increased risk of violent clashes on German streets between rival groups.

Sister agency BfV, which handles domestic intelligence, said the number of Salafists was rising in Germany, and with it the number of potential recruits for "Daesh".
Some 450 people have travelled from Germany to join the radical militants.

The BfV said some Chechens living in Germany were joining Salafist groups and added that many of those recruits were especially active and violent.

BfV president Hans-Georg Maassen said that, "We are concerned that violent clashes between extremists on our streets could escalate," referring to a recent wave of fighting in German cities between Salafist groups and local Kurds, and most recently between Salafists and a group of far-right supporters in the western city of Cologne.

In a parallel statement, Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency said "Daesh" militants will be able to mount operations in Iraq "for the foreseeable future" despite US-led airstrikes and efforts by Iraqi security forces to regain territory.

In Syria, the BND said fighting between "Daesh" and Kurdish forces in the Syrian town of Kobani near the Turkish border showed that the militants were still in a position to attack.

The BND and BfV statements were released ahead of a planned news conference on Tuesday by German intelligence chiefs and the interior minister on the fight against terrorism.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team