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Belgian Authorities Concerned over ISIS Recruitment of Youths | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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“We left our countries” because of ISIS – migrants/ Reuters


Brussels- The Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Brussels has warned of the mounting number of youths recruited by ISIS in Belgium to carry out attacks in the country.

“Young people are no longer called upon by ISIS to fight in Syria, but are called to carry out attacks in their country,” Belgian federal prosecutor spokesman Eric Van der Sypt told the media.

According to Van der Sypt,“This is a new trend, a new tactic by ISIS.”

He continued that minors are “easily influenced” and ISIS is aware of this fact. They are mobilized via social media, mostly through the Telegram application.

Van der Sypt expressed “serious concern” over the matter.

He further explained, “Youngsters are indoctrinated and prepared, sooner or later, to commit an attack.”

This followed the voting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament members on a resolution that warns of the propaganda against the EU.

“Hostile propaganda against the EU and its member states seeks to distort the truth, provoke doubt, divide the EU and its North American partners, paralyze the decision-making process, discredit the EU institutions and incite fear and uncertainty among EU citizens,” says the text of the adopted resolution.

In a related matter, a U.S. study carried out by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point has shown that ISIS’ military defeats in Iraq and Syria have weakened its ability to mobilize new volunteers.

“ISIS is struggling to maintain the image of a state,” said Daniel Milton, director of research at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. “However, before, the caliphate was ISIS big selling point,” Milton added.