2,000 Teens Radicalized by Daesh in France

Local Editor

Around 2,000 teenagers have been radicalized by Daesh propaganda in France, a security source told Le Figaro newspaper, adding that the number of girls embracing terrorist ideology is on the rise.

Since the start of the year, security forces have identified 1,954 young men and women as Daesh terrorist organization sympathizers, Le Figaro reported.

An unnamed high-ranking security service official told the paper that the levels of radicalization among teens in the country have increased by 121 percent compared to January 2015.

Seventeen French youths have been killed fighting for the jihadists in Syria and Iraq, the source added.

According to the official, 37 teens have recently been indicted in France on charges related to extremism and terrorism.

Another trend worrying the authorities is the increasing number of teenage girls sympathizing with Daesh terrorists, he said.

The extremists are preying on youths who have psychological problems, who experience difficulties at school, or who are going through a tough time due to their parents' divorce, the source said.

Special recruiting techniques employed by Daesh make those young men and women an easy target for the radicals, he added.

Broadcaster BFMTV reported that in the first week of September alone four teens were arrested in France for establishing contacts with Islamic State.

They were all recruited by Rashid Kassim, a 29-year-old Frenchman, who contacted teens through social media and encouraged them to stage terrorist attacks.

Earlier this week, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that the terrorist threat in the country is higher than ever before.

The minister added that 300 people have been arrested in France for links to terrorist activity since the beginning of the year.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team