24 children from Germany join ISIS gangs

24 children from Germany join ISIS gangs

ANF - BERLIN21.09.2014 13:30:53

It is reported that ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham) has sent dozens of children from Germany to conflict areas.

The president of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Hans-Georg Maaßen, said that 24 children whose families live in Germany have joined the ranks of ISIS gangs.
The president of (BfV) told the Rheinische Post journal that Salafi organisations in Germany are attracting not only young people, but also children to its ranks.

Stating that 24 children from Germany have gone to Iraq and Syria where there is conflict, Maaßen said that the youngest child was just 13 years old.
The president of BfV added that 5 children under 18 who had gone to Iraq and Syria had returned, drawing attention to the fact that the age of the children joining the ISIS gangs is getting younger. He said that the children who are going to the conflict areas felt alienated from society and often had problems with their families.

He said they did not have enough information about where they were going and what they would do, adding that because of the information coming from the intelligence organisations and applications from the families of these children, they have been able to clarify the number. According to BfV data, around 400 young people have travelled from Germany to join ISIS, although the real figure may be higher.