The so-called Islamic State
(ISIS) extremist group is losing military ground in the Middle
East and this could mean a spike in terrorist attacks by
returning foreign fighters, Intelligence Undersecretary Marco
Minniti told the House constitutional affairs committee on
Wednesday.
ISIS has lost 50% of its financing and "is losing ground
significantly on the military level in Iraq and Syria (and)
there are foreseeable reasons (that this could) lead to a boost
in terror activity" with the return of some of the 5,000 men and
women that left Europe to fight in its ranks.
"Those who return must be placed under surveillance and
it's not easy for countries with several hundred (foreign
fighters) to keep tabs on them 24 hours a day," Minniti said.
"Italy has lower numbers (of foreign fighters) and we don't
underestimate even the most banal of the many, many alerts we
receive".
Minniti urged lawmakers to come up with a way to deprogram
returning foreign fighters and to combat radicalization.
"A serious democracy must offer those returning from the
front an alternative to being a terrorist - it must give those
who want to dissociate themselves from the terrorist path, an
opportunity to do so," the undersecretary said.
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