1,150 people from Germany joined ISIS and other radical Islamist organizations: 153 are Turkish citizens

It has been revealed that 153 citizens of the Republic of Turkey are among those who have joined ISIS and other radical Islamist organizations from Germany.

1,150 JOINED RADICAL ISLAMIST ORGANIZATIONS

According to DW Turkish, in response to a parliamentary question submitted by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, the German government stated that the number of people who have traveled to Syria and Iraq since 2011 to join radical Islamist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS has reached 1,150.

It is noted that there are indications that 65 percent of these individuals have participated in or supported the terrorist activities of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and groups affiliated with them.

According to the government's findings, departures from Germany to these regions to join radical Islamist terrorist organizations peaked between 2013 and 2015.

Of the 1,150 individuals identified as having traveled, 650 are German citizens. Records indicate that 273 of these are dual citizens. The number of those who hold both German and Turkish citizenship is 35.

Of the 1,150 people who traveled to Syria and Iraq, 153 are citizens of the Republic of Turkey. Thus, among those who left from Germany, Turkish citizens constitute the second-largest group after Germans. This group is followed by 85 Syrian citizens and 55 Russian citizens.

According to German authorities, travel to Syria and Iraq has significantly decreased since 2019.

40 PERCENT HAVE RETURNED

40 percent of those who left Germany for Syria and Iraq, approximately 460 people, have returned to the country. It was announced that more than 30 of these individuals have left the country either through deportation or of their own volition. Of the 460 people who returned to Germany, 307 are reported to be German citizens, 44 Turkish, 30 Syrian, and 21 Russian citizens.

As of the end of 2023, the number of investigations launched in Germany against those who joined a radical Islamist organization in Syria and Iraq and subsequently returned has reached 312. The majority of these individuals are accused of "membership in a foreign terrorist organization, conducting activities on its behalf, and/or preparing for acts of violence against the state" in connection with sections 129a and 89a of the German Criminal Code.

111 PEOPLE CONVICTED

According to information provided by the German government, 111 people under investigation have been convicted, while the trials of 119 are ongoing. A decision of non-prosecution was issued for 122 people.