IS fighters from Mosul And may head to Europe See Reasons

Physinews: Liberating Mosul from Islamic State could
cause a surge of IS fighters into Europe, it
has been warned.
The European Union's security commissioner
Julian King said: "The reconquest of the
northern Iraqi IS stronghold Mosul can cause
violent IS fighters to come back to Europe.


"This is a very serious threat that we have to
prepare for," he told German newspaper Die
Welt.

Mr King said more than 2,500 people have
travelled from European countries to Islamic
State regions to fight and that some of them
could return.

The security official said that while he did not
believe there will be an "exodus" of fighters
arriving in Europe, "even a small number
represents a serious threat".
He called for discussions on the security of
identity documents including birth and
marriage certificates, as well as passports.

It would also mean a broader computer
database that would make it easier for border
officials to search.

His comments came as Germany's interior
minister rejected any suggestion that efforts
to combat IS in Iraq and Syria would
increase the likelihood of attacks on
European soil.

Thomas de Maiziere admitted that
authorities expect IS fighters originally from
Europe to attempt to return as the group
come under further pressure - but he said
work is ongoing to minimise the threat.

Speaking in Berlin, he told the media that he
felt there was no "additional threat to
Germany from the fight against IS," and said
that "the threat is already high and it's right
that we should combat IS militarily".