Recruiter for Syria Extremism Arrested in France

Local Editor

A 22-year-old man suspected of acting as a recruiter for extremist groups in Syria has been arrested at an airport in the south of France, the country's interior ministry said on Sunday.

According to a statement by French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, the recruiter is suspected of having paid in cash for a 16-year-old girl to fly to Turkey with the intention of then crossing the border to Syria.

Turkish Airlines contacted the border patrol, who unconvinced by her explanation that she was planning on visiting her grandmother in Turkey's Istanbul, called the security services.

Further investigations later led police to the suspect, who is believed to live in France and was already known to intelligence officers.

The man, who is said to be of Chechen origin, was stopped at the Nice airport on Saturday and taken into custody.

Like a number of European countries, France has expressed concern over radicalized young people leaving the country to fight in Iraq and Syria, and who could pose a risk to security on their return.

According to official estimates, around 800 French nationals or residents -- including several dozen women -- have traveled to, returned from or plan to go to Syria.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team