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837 Belgian residents are extremists: Interior Ministry

Xinhua, December 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Belgium's Interior Ministry has identified 837 Belgian residents as involved in extremist activity or "potential candidates" to enroll in terrorist activity, more than any other European country, local newspaper group Sudpresse reported on Friday.

According to the data, 272 Belgian residents are currently fighting overseas in Syria or Iraq and about 80 have died in combat. Some 134 have returned to Belgium after fighting alongside the Islamic State.

Also on the list are 352 "potential candidates" for extremism, currently living in Belgium, Sudpresse added.

Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon said between six and eight people every month leave Belgium to try to join extremists, and that about three or four per month return home to Belgium after spending time fighting overseas.

Sudpresse added the majority of the "foreign fighters" identified by the interior ministry are Belgian nationals followed by Russian Chechens. Endit