Convicted jihadists to pose a threat again from 2023, think tank warns

In 2015 a large number of jihadists were arrested and convicted in Europe for the execution or preparation of terrorist crimes. Many of them will be released from custody in 2023, and can then pose a threat again, according to think tank Globsec. The think tank did research on 197 convicted jihadists in 11 European countries, including the Netherlands, RTL Nieuws reports.

On average the researched convicted jihadists were sentenced to eight years and seven months in prison. The researchers believe that many of them have been further radicalized during their imprisonment, with all the dangers that entails.

"The jihad in Europe thrives well in prisons", Stanislav Matejka, a terrorism researcher at Globsec, said to the Volkskrant. He is also concerned that convicted jihadists convinced others prisoners to join their cause.

A total of 15 jihadists were convicted in the Netherlands in 2015. A number of other foreign rebel fighters in the Syrian civil war were also arrested since.