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Belgium: Joining the Jihad

August 13, 2013

Some 500 young Europeans are currently fighting with Islamists in Syria -- and against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Many of these foreign fighters come from Belgium.

https://p.dw.com/p/19ORU
Members of Liwa (brigade) Hamzah, a newly formed Islamist brigade from the Syrian eastern city of Deir Ezzor take part in a rally in the centre of the city to announce their formation on February 25, 2013. Syria's opposition and foreign powers hold crucial talks in Rome with Washington suggesting it is ready to boost support to rebels in their struggle against President Bashar al-Assad. AFP PHOTO/ZAC BAILLIE (Photo credit should read ZAC BAILLIE/AFP/Getty Images)
Image: Zac Baillie/AFP/Getty Images

They're being recruited by a radical Islamist group called Sharia4Belgium. In raids of close to 50 homes earlier this year, Belgian police discovered stashes of explosives and weapons. The group is mainly active in Antwerp and Wallonia. Dozens of young Belgians are now fighting alongside Syrian rebels. Many parents are frantically searching for their children -- and some are even travelling to Syria to look for them.

###ACHTUNG! NUR ZUR BERICHTERSTATTUNG ÜBER YOUTUBE VERWENDEN### ###URL WIRD NACHGEREICHT VON SUSANNE RICHTER#### http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAFi5WCbcQM Bildtitel: Brian de Mulder, Sharia4Belgium, Fouad Belkacem Bildbeschreibung: Ausschnitt aus einem Youtube-Video. Der Sprecher der radikal-islamischen Gruppe "Sharia4Belgium" - Fouad Belkacem, alias Abu Imram, mit Jugendlichen am Rande eines Basketballfeldes. Auch der heute vermutlich in Syrien kämpfende Brian de Mulder ist unter den Jugendlichen.
Screenshot Youtube Brian de Mulder, Sharia4Belgium, Fouad BelkacemImage: Youtube