European intelligence sources revealed that up to 60-70 peoplehave left Britain to join in military factions to fight against theSyrian government, Reuters reported.
They have also noted an increase in the number of Internetmessages directed at potential English-speaking militants in the UKto join in the fight against Syria’s government.
Both the US and EU security officials confirm that there hasbeen a growing number of English-language recruitment videos andonline content, which is proving successful in luring dozens ofEnglish-speaking Muslims from their homes in Europe to travel tothe Middle East and fight in places such as Syria.
Even though the US and EU policy supports anti-Assad forces, theproblem arises when English-speaking recruits join the extreme,anti-Western Syrian rebel factions, become terrorists and thenreturn home, stated officials.
The majority of those who already left UK to fight in Syria havejoined the militant anti-Assad faction, known as Al-Nusra, whichthe US has named a terrorist group connected with Al-Qaeda in Iraq,Reuters reported.
Increase in English-language recruitment tactics
An increase in English-content videos and online messages hasbeen reported by security officials in the US and the EU.
Last week a jihadist website controlled by an Islamic militantgroup based in Somalia, al Shabaab, posted a new video of a manspeaking English and calling himself Abu Ahmed al-Amriki (Arabicfor 'the American'), counterterrorism blog the Long War Journalreported.
In the video Abu Ahmed calls upon all Muslims living in the Westto give up their lives there and join the Islamic holy war inSomalia, Mali and Afghanistan. The identity of the man in the videoremains unknown.
In February another man posted a second of two video messagescalling himself an “American mujahid [holy warrior]” andpraising his involvement with rebels fighting against the Syriangovernment, stated a group that monitors militant websites, theFlashpoint Global Partners.
“Bashar Assad, your days are numbered,” the man speakingin English with an American accent is quoted as saying, referringto Syria’s president. “You should just quit now, while you can,and leave. You are going to die, no matter what. Where you go wewill find you and kill you.”
US officials also noted an increase in English-language onlineliterature, which calls on wannabe militants to turn to violenceand provides instructions on how to use household items to causedamage and death.
“We've been monitoring [these developments] and yes, it'sconcerning,” Deputy Commissioner and spokesman of the New YorkPolice Department Paul Browne told Reuters.
This past week, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)released two English-language publications in its ‘Inspire’magazine targeting aspiring holy warriors.
The first piece is a death list, which names selected Westernersand includes prominent figures, such as the anti-Islamic Dutchpolitician Geert Wilders, and the Koran-burning Florida preacherTerry Jones.
The other publication is a rulebook, ‘The Lone MujahidPocketbook’, which explains how to cause traffic accidents, deadlyambushes, gas leaks, destroy buildings and start forest fires inyour own country.
The publication asks the reader: “Have u been lookin' 4 a wayto join the Mujahideen in frontlines? Well, there's no need totravel abroad, coz the frontline has come to you... Just read 'n'apply the contents of this guide.”
Recruitment tactics have also made headway in social media.
The Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab militia from South Somalia begantweeting in English and gained more than 20,000 subscribers by thetime Twitter closed its account in January. As the group set-up anew account, it gained 2,000 followers in a week in February.
