Germany Wants To End Borderless Travel in Europe To Stop Islamic Fighters From Crossing Borders Undetected
Germany calls for a relook at the current system of passport-free travel within European Union. This is helping terrorists and ISIS fighters to cross borders undetected. Germany's Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said in Berlin that an alarm must trigger, when someone is joining the extremist groups in Syria or Iraq should trigger an alarm as and when they travel in and out of the Schengen Area.
The area covers 26 countries and stretches from Arctic to the Mediterranean, reported Yahoo News. "Also the information to identify someone as a foreign fighter needs provided to the for border authorities," de Maiziere told in Berlin.
European Fighters
The Europe as a whole is concerned about the 2,000 plus natives including 450 Germans, who have joined the Islamic State and other extremists outfits, in recent years. The authorities are taking steps to crack down on them, but they are hampered by the lack of border controls throughout the continent.
The German interior minister is of the view that the existing border controls in the periphery of the Schengen Area is not adequate to screen the passports of all those travelling in that area. He said it is necessary to ensure that the relevant group of persons is actually checked.
But the German minister did not reveal the mechanism by which they hope the authorities would designate someone as a suspected extremist if he has not been convicted for a crime. Also how far Turkey, the main transit country for jihadists, would get access to the Schengen database.
de Maiziere said that German authorities are investigating some 280 suspected Islamic extremists. Germany recently made any propaganda on behalf of the Islamic State group as a criminal offence.
German Concern
Germany has concerns about its youngsters embracing terror groups. The case of a young German, who once played for a Jewish soccer team turning a jihadi, shocked Germany. It was the first case in which Germany took action and put him on trial for fighting for ISIS in Syria. The 20-year-old, from Kosovo was identified Kreshnik B. He was arrested at Frankfurt Airport last December after returning from the Middle East.
Authorities allege that Kresnik B was radicalised, in a Frankfurt mosque. It was alleged that the the accused traveled to Syria via Turkey in July 2013 to participate in "militant jihad" and later joined the ISIS. Kreshnik B. received weapons training and was deployed "in the medical and guard services". He also took part in three battles in Syria. The case was revealed by Elmar Thevessen, terrorism expert to NBC News.
School Girl Jihadists
Meanwhile, the trend of school girls joining ISIS has affected Germany also. The case reported from Germany was that of Sarah 15, who did not come back from school. She was a resident of Konstanz, southern Germany. Her father reported her as missing. But two days later, she posted her pictures on the social-media sites holding a machine gun saying that she has joined al Qaueda and undergoing arms training, reported by Guardian.