Returning of ISIS child soldiers scares Dutch intelligence

The Dutch intelligence service and the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism warned for the return of ISIS child soldiers who are trained on armed combat and could carry out attacks in Europe in the future.

According to a Dutch intelligence report, there are approximately 80 or more Dutch children living under ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Women in ISIS territories often become pregnant and as a result the Dutch authorities have no exact statistics.

According to the Dutch intelligence services the children are seen as cubs that will grow as lions of the ISIS self-proclaimed caliphate. Therefore, they are trained at a very young age at special ISIS schools. The children receive Sharia education as well as military training within a group known as Cubs of the Caliphate.

In education books there are pictures of tanks, weapons and fighting positions, and after school time, children are encouraged with their parents to watch executions and children can play computer games to shoot down western jets or to fire rockets on the Eiffel tower in Paris.

Girls expected to be busy with cooking, sewing, and taking care of children, and once they reach puberty: they are expected to marry older men despite of the language difference. This while boys are trained as ISIS militants and sent to special training camps.

The Dutch intelligence fears these children can be used for attacks in Europe.

Also, children who have never been in ISIS-territories are inspired through social media to carry out attacks.

In late 2016, a 12-year-old boy was arrested after attempting an attack in Germany.

Moreover, in the Netherlands, France, and Germany there are cases of teenagers who are in contact with ISIS militants and recruiters.

Now that ISIS is losing more and more territory in both Iraq and Syria, experts expect that more ISIS militants will return to the West, including Europe. Those who will return will be investigated and arrested.

Furthermore, the Dutch authorities are preparing to deal with children from ISIS-territories.

According to the latest report of the Dutch AIVD, the chance of an ISIS attack in the Netherlands remains a high possibility, although there are no signs of preparation attempts by ISIS.

ISIS has recently carried out several attacks in Europe and also one in Russia. Experts suggest the more ISIS loses territory, the more the chance that it will carry out attacks abroad.