Norway Fears “Terrorist Threats” as Its National Fight in Syria

Norway’s intelligence agency said Monday that it fears an increased “terrorist threat” to its country due to dozens of Norwegian nationals fighting in the Syrian conflict, AFP reported.

At least 40 or 50 people with links to Norway have fought, or are currently fighting, with forces opposed to the Syrian government and run the risk of returning as seasoned radical fighters, the Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) wrote in its annual threat assessment report.Syria terrorists

“We conclude that the threat has already increased and will continue to increase throughout 2014,” the head of NIS General Kjell Grandhagen said.

These “jihadists” are often in the most radical Islamic groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and the Al-Nusra Front, Grandhagen added.

The NIS estimates that about 2,000 extremist militants have travelled from Europe to fight the Syrian government but did not reveal how the figure was calculated, according to AFP.

Norwegian daily Verdens Gang also reported Monday that about a dozen women have left Norway for Syria to join armed groups.

Last week, Britain’s Information Minister said that the “security concern” for the UK posed by individuals who have trained and fought in Syria is “a big problem” for MI5 and the police.

In December it was reported that Britain has been revoking the citizenship of its nationals who join the Syrian war, in an attempt to prevent its nationals from returning home and bringing extremism with them.