Spread of terror: As UK struggles to contain jihadis, new militant wave joins IS from Asia

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/567819/Islamic-State-War-terror-shifts-Asia-new-warning-expanding-network

POLICY chiefs struggling to contain the flow of Europeans joining jihadist group Islamic State (IS) have been warned that Central Asia is the new front line in the war against terror.

By Tom Batchelor

PUBLISHED: 04:01, Thu, Apr 2, 2015

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AFP

The last few months have seen a noticeable drop in new recruits to Islamic State

In a striking assessment of the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, an expert in politics and diplomacy in the region said the majority of new recruits to IS were coming from countries bordering China and India – rather than the UK and Western Europe.

Parts of central and east Asia have until now remained relatively dormant despite worsening unrest in neighbouring countries. 

Experts believe the last few months have seen a noticeable drop in new recruits to the group, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) acknowledging a lull in numbers joining the organisation.

But fresh analysis from security experts suggests the temporary respite in new conscripts could be matched by a widening catchment area for radicalised teenagers.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, an expert in Middle Eastern affairs claimed the front line in the war against IS had shifted to Central Asia. 

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Experts say the front line in the war against IS had shifted to Central Asia

The European flow has definitely slowed down

Michael Stephens, Middle East expert

Michael Stephens, a research fellow on the Middle East, said there was an “ethnic change” in the types of recruits that were travelling to Syria and Iraq.

Swathes of new fighters to the extremist group now hail from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, he said, adding: “They are trying to find ways round and they are trying to find new routes.”

The insight into recruitment to the barbaric group suggests security officials may be wasting resources by focusing on traditional routes into lawless, IS controlled territories.

SOHR believes the last three months has seen the lowest number of new recruits since June last year – when the ‘caliphate’ first announced itself to the world.

“The European flow has definitely slowed down,” Mr Stephens added.

AP

The Jordanian air force pilot Moaz al-Kasas was burnt to death by Islamic State extremists

The murder of a captured Jordanian pilot is thought to have dented their appeal in the region.
The Middle East analyst said IS had “really alienated people with its activities”.

“I think burning the pilot didn't help their appeal because that was very difficult to justify, and that has caused some issues,” he said.

“There are only certain numbers of people that want to go and vast numbers of them went in 2014.
“The relationship with Turkey has become a lot better in terms of communicating threats and acting on threats; the procedures that are taken when people are going to Istanbul or coming back from Istanbul are a lot better.”

The comments follow news that a further nine British nationals were seized as they attempted to cross the border from Turkey into Syria. 

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