20,000 foreign fighters flock to Syria, Iraq: US

[webfact]

AP Exclusive: 20,000 foreign fighters flock to Syria, Iraq
By KEN DILANIAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreign fighters are streaming into Syria and Iraq in unprecedented numbers to join the Islamic State or other extremist groups, including at least 3,400 from Western nations among 20,000 from around the world, U.S. intelligence officials say in an updated estimate of a top terrorism concern.

Intelligence agencies now believe that as many as 150 Americans have tried and some have succeeded in reaching in the Syrian war zone, officials told the House Homeland Security Committee in testimony prepared for delivery on Wednesday. Some of those Americans were arrested en route, some died in the area and a small number are still fighting with extremists.

The testimony and other data were obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.

Nick Rasmussen, chief of the National Counterterrorism Center, said the rate of foreign fighter travel to Syria is without precedent, far exceeding the rate of foreigners who went to wage jihad in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen or Somalia at any other point in the past 20 years.

U.S. officials fear that some of the foreign fighters will return undetected to their homes in Europe or the U.S. to mount terrorist attacks. At least one of the men responsible for the attack on a satirical magazine in Paris had spent time with Islamic extremists in Yemen.

Meanwhile, the White House circulated a proposal Tuesday that would have Congress authorize the U.S. military to fight Islamic State terrorists over the next three years. A formal request for legislation is expected on Wednesday.

Also at the White House, President Barack Obama praised Kayla Jean Mueller, the young American whose death was confirmed Tuesday. Mueller died while in Islamic State hands, though the group blamed a Jordanian airstrike, and Obama said, "No matter how long it takes, the United States will find and bring to justice the terrorists who are responsible for Kayla's captivity and death."

As for foreign fighters, officials acknowledge it has been hard to track the Americans and Europeans who have made it to Syria, where the Islamic State group is the dominant force trying to overthrow the government of President Bashar Assad. The U.S. Embassy in Syria is closed, and the CIA has no permanent presence on the ground.

"Once in Syria, it is very difficult to discern what happens there," according to Wednesday's prepared testimony of Michael Steinbach, the FBI's assistant director for counterterrorism. "This lack of clarity remains troubling."

The estimate of 20,000 fighters, from 90 countries, is up from 19,000, Rasmussen will tell the House committee, according to prepared testimony. The number of Americans or U.S. residents who have gone or tried to go is up to 150 from 50 a year ago and 100 in the fall.

Rep. Michael McCaul, the Texas Republican who chairs the committee, said in his prepared remarks that the Syrian war had created "the largest convergence of Islamist terrorists in world history." Sustained bombing by a U.S.-led coalition has not stopped the inflow, he noted.

McCaul's committee staff compiled from public sources a list of 18 U.S. citizens or residents who joined or attempted to join the Islamic State group, and 18 others who tried to or succeeded in joining other violent Islamic groups. The list includes three Chicago teens and three Denver teens who were radicalized and recruited online and were arrested after attempting to travel to Syria to join Islamic State fighters. It also includes Douglas McAuthur McCain, 33, a Californian who died in August while fighting with the Islamic State group near Aleppo.

U.S. intelligence officials do not make public their estimate of how many Americans currently are fighting in Syria and Iraq. In September, FBI director James Comey said it was "about a dozen."

Francis X. Taylor, who heads the Homeland Security Department's intelligence office, said in his prepared testimony for the hearing that "we are unaware of any specific, credible, imminent threat to the homeland."

However, he said, the department is concerned that Americans who join violent extremist groups in Syria "could gain combat skills, violent extremist connections and possibly become persuaded to conduct organized or 'lone-wolf' style attacks that target U.S. and Western interests. We also have become increasingly aware of the possibility that Syria could emerge as a base of operations for al-Qaida's international agenda, which could include attacks against the homeland."

Taylor said the U.S. is trying to instruct other governments on how best to track foreign fighters, including "how they can compare airline manifests and reservation data against terrorist watch lists and other intelligence about terrorist travel." He said the U.S. outpaces other countries in that effort.

The intelligence officials also discussed the possibility of homegrown attacks inspired by the Islamic State or al-Qaida but not directly connected to the groups. Rasmussen of the counterterrorism center appeared to downplay that threat, saying it "will remain at its current level resulting in fewer than 10 uncoordinated and unsophisticated plots annually from a pool of up to a few hundred individuals, most of whom are known to the (intelligence agencies) and law enforcement."

McCaul said he fears the Obama administration is blind to the looming dangers of homegrown radicalism of the kind that led to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

"We have no lead agency in charge of countering domestic radicalization and no line item for it in the budgets of key departments and agencies," he said. "I am also concerned that the few programs we do have in place are far too small to confront a challenge that has grown so quickly."


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-11

[NextStationBangkok]

All countries to encourage all the extremists to travel and gather in Syria and in Iraq, so that in 6 months world can find a better nuclear solution that brings peace to the world!

In the mean time response from heaven : 72 X 20,000 = 1440000 virgins not available at the moment, so they have to wait in hell for 100 more years!

[Seastallion]

Surely they (intelligence authorities) must know how radicalisation takes place, what arguments and inducements are used.

Why are they not discrediting the propaganda that leads to radicalisation, and countering the dogma?

It appears the US is actually fueling the radical propaganda with it's open support of Israel etc.

Mind you, Obama is trying hard not to fan the fires on that particular front, so good on him for that.

What would it take, not much I suspect, to automatically cancel a passport if certain criteria are met. Obviously, free citizens are allowed to travel wherever they want, but certain destinations could have permits attached to them...eg, if a US/Aus/UK citizen wants to go to Turkey, a special permit must be applied for or he is stopped at the boarding gate.

There's got to be something.

[Seastallion]

All countries to encourage all the extremists to travel and gather in Syria and in Iraq, so that in 6 months world can find a better nuclear solution that brings peace to the world!

In the mean time response from heaven : 72 X 20,000 = 1440000 virgins not available at the moment, so they have to wait in hell for 100 more years!

Your last sentence is just silly bigotry, however I have in the past advocated what you say in your opening sentence.

My first post above is one way, but another way could be to make it easy for them to go to Syria. Don't stop them, let them go. Then let them taste what it's like to be in a war, and not only that, in a war with barbaric masters.

[Mosha]

Surely they (intelligence authorities) must know how radicalisation takes place, what arguments and inducements are used.

Why are they not discrediting the propaganda that leads to radicalisation, and countering the dogma?

It appears the US is actually fueling the radical propaganda with it's open support of Israel etc.

Mind you, Obama is trying hard not to fan the fires on that particular front, so good on him for that.

What would it take, not much I suspect, to automatically cancel a passport if certain criteria are met. Obviously, free citizens are allowed to travel wherever they want, but certain destinations could have permits attached to them...eg, if a US/Aus/UK citizen wants to go to Turkey, a special permit must be applied for or he is stopped at the boarding gate.

There's got to be something.

The special permit should be applied for when they want to return. Not departing. If we get lucky they will die out there

[NextStationBangkok]

All countries to encourage all the extremists to travel and gather in Syria and in Iraq, so that in 6 months world can find a better nuclear solution that brings alt=wai2.gif width=20 height=20> peace alt=biggrin.png> to the world!

In the mean time response from heaven : 72 X 20,000 = 1440000 virgins not available alt=whistling.gif> at the moment, so they have to wait in hell alt=bah.gif> for 100 more years!

Your last sentence is just silly bigotry, however I have in the past advocated what you say in your opening sentence.

My first post above is one way, but another way could be to make it easy for them to go to Syria. Don't stop them, let them go. Then let them taste what it's like to be in a war, and not only that, in a war with barbaric masters.

Frankly i would not have written such BIG statement as you claim, if they don't kill the journalists and aid workers in such a way in orange suits calling them as non-believers. Their main propaganda is to brain wash the young man to join the religious war claiming 72 is waiting in heaven. Can you ask them to change their ideology of killing people ? What justification do you give for the young pilot burned to death in a dog cage ? What they are totally criminal and it is war against humanity. They are the worst criminals in this civilized society. Today is them, tomorrow you or me!

[Morch]

Surely they (intelligence authorities) must know how radicalisation takes place, what arguments and inducements are used.

Why are they not discrediting the propaganda that leads to radicalisation, and countering the dogma?

It appears the US is actually fueling the radical propaganda with it's open support of Israel etc.

Mind you, Obama is trying hard not to fan the fires on that particular front, so good on him for that.

What would it take, not much I suspect, to automatically cancel a passport if certain criteria are met. Obviously, free citizens are allowed to travel wherever they want, but certain destinations could have permits attached to them...eg, if a US/Aus/UK citizen wants to go to Turkey, a special permit must be applied for or he is stopped at the boarding gate.

There's got to be something.

So this to is about Israel, then?

How can there be action taken to discredit "arguments and inducements" when the core "arguments and inducements" are denied? If this is nothing to do with Islam - how can Islamic "arguments and inducements" used in requirement be countered?

As for the USA fanning the flames - where do most of these foreigners come from? Where does most of the recruiting efforts occur? Bash harder.

The USA authorities got more leeway with restricting movement and placing suspects under arrest, especially compared to Western Europe. Will people please make up their mind if this is a good or bad thing? Can't clap hands when UK deports suspects to the USA because it can't handle them, and at the same time whine about Gitmo.

The main problem here is not the USA but Europe, and specifically, Turkey.

[sead]

I dont see any problem. Finally you got all extremists in one Place.

[robhufton]

I dont see any problem. Finally you got all extremists in one Place.

Yep, makes them easier to kill

[mickyboy]

All countries to encourage all the extremists to travel and gather in Syria and in Iraq, so that in 6 months world can find a better nuclear solution that brings peace to the world!

In the mean time response from heaven : 72 X 20,000 = 1440000 virgins not available at the moment, so they have to wait in hell for 100 more years!

they soon be turning on each other i read that they excecuted over 200 ISIS fighter there own becuse they had enough and wanted to go home so they killed them for not fighting for the cause islam

[trainman34014]

'' Please line up in orderly rows over this way to be vapourised and meet all those sexy virgins you dream of dressed in all over black ''.

[arjunadawn]

Surely they (intelligence authorities) must know how radicalisation takes place, what arguments and inducements are used.

Why are they not discrediting the propaganda that leads to radicalisation, and countering the dogma?

It appears the US is actually fueling the radical propaganda with it's open support of Israel etc.

Mind you, Obama is trying hard not to fan the fires on that particular front, so good on him for that.

What would it take, not much I suspect, to automatically cancel a passport if certain criteria are met. Obviously, free citizens are allowed to travel wherever they want, but certain destinations could have permits attached to them...eg, if a US/Aus/UK citizen wants to go to Turkey, a special permit must be applied for or he is stopped at the boarding gate.

There's got to be something.

I was just... so... close to agreeing with everything you said until you got to "Israel." [They] hate [us] supporting Israel because... they hate! When US support is finally lifted that hate will continue unabated. Case in point- the remainder of planet earth with regard to islamic jihad.

[Gent0]

Lemmings.......death is natures's way of telling you to Slow Down ...!

[ggt]

The estimate of 20,000 fighters, from 90 countries!

This same ISIS bunch of inhumane animal terrorists...proclaimed by Obama to be no more important than a Jr. Varsity team in a high school...are kicking butt and taking names...killing anyone and everyone in a most disturbing manner...

The casual approach taken by this administration is creating a climate for further expansion and carnage...

Many people in the US...are hoping the world does not fall completely apart in the last two years of Americas "leading from behind"...President...

I would add that it appears more like..."using your behind to lead"...

[F430murci]

US and other countries should just run TV ads saying they will pay for their transport to Syria. Get them the f out of the US and let than wonder why the pilots are parachuting out of their transport plane and the cockpit is locked prior to their arrival. See ya.

[Lissos]

Surely they (intelligence authorities) must know how radicalisation takes place, what arguments and inducements are used.

Why are they not discrediting the propaganda that leads to radicalisation, and countering the dogma?

It appears the US is actually fueling the radical propaganda with it's open support of Israel etc.

Mind you, Obama is trying hard not to fan the fires on that particular front, so good on him for that.

What would it take, not much I suspect, to automatically cancel a passport if certain criteria are met. Obviously, free citizens are allowed to travel wherever they want, but certain destinations could have permits attached to them...eg, if a US/Aus/UK citizen wants to go to Turkey, a special permit must be applied for or he is stopped at the boarding gate.

There's got to be something.

I believe that is already the case now, for Turkey if coming from Britain anyway.

It has been several years since I was last in Turkey, but it used to be a case of just booking a flight from wherever you happened to be in the world at the time, then turning up and buying a visa sticker for about £10 at the immigration desk, but now you have apply in advance online to a particular website, similar to one of the avenues of getting a Vietnamese visa where part of the application process is done in advance for your arrival. If anything, this just adds in an element of time and space in which details can be looked at more closely if need be and checked against wider connected data bases that may flag up a person, rather than checks being up to sleepy guy on the immigration counter on the day of arrival.

All of this is of course because people were getting into Syria via Turkey, overland, after going on an alleged 'holiday' to Turkey. It makes it a bit of a pain for spontaneous travel, but not a major hassle. One of my old passports has several pages full to the brim with Turkey land border circle stamps from a particular middle east trip, which makes me recall that the land border entry may have been free. I doubt it is free now, nor as easy as just going back and forth. Increasingly the world is locking down in this way, but then again the way things are going in the world, not a surprise.

Regarding Israel, Jordan's Abdullah II also reckons that the unsolved issue of Israelis and Palestinians is a red rag to a bull for recruitement for groups like ISIS. I'm not 100% convinced of that, even if I may agree with his general view that as long as it is left unsolved then there will always be restlessness in the middle east. ISIS wants to undo Sykes-Picot on the ground in its entirety, and the Balfour Declaration is probably considered a side show on the list of their ultimate goal of scrubbing out the major bulk of Sykes-Picot on the ground. It wants the western friendly nations and rulers like Qaboos, Abdullah II and others annhilated just as much as it wants the Ba'athists in Syria overthrown. Israel will be on their 'hit' list for sure, but that would be a far harder nut for them to crack and they know it only too well.

[Steely Dan]

So the Jihaddists come from 90 Countries, they quote the Quran chapter and verse, but we are supposed to believe they have nothing to do with Islam. The 20,000 are the tip of a very large iceberg all whose understanding of Islam is crystal clear, it's what they have been taught by so called radical Imams, yet whilst this took place in the west no Islamic Country showed any intention of stopping this. Now it's a case of the biter bit.

[ABCer]

Amazing!

Unprecedented!

The calls for 'nukes' dropped on brainwashed evil doing people - popular!

The calls for 'isolationism' and non-interference - rejected outright and very unpopular!

The power of Political Correctness!

Amazing!

[DLock]

Nothing better than watching video of ISIS "soldiers" getting vaporized from above. I particularly like the last minute running as they see/hear the bomb about to hit.

A simple search of "ISIS vaporized" on Google brings up hours of enjoyment.

Never gets old.

[Johnny S]

hope they come home in a bodybag