Jihad monitoring cases cross 600 mark

There have been no new departures to Syria or Iraq since 2016. Keystone

The number of cases referred to Switzerland’s jihad monitoring programme has slightly increased, statistics show. But there has been a drop in those believed to pose a terror risk. 

On Thursday, the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) shared its latest figures on Islamist terror threats to Switzerland. The number of residents flagged up by the jihad monitoring programme increased from 585 in May to 606 in November. This is the cumulative number of cases since 2012. 

In terms of today’s threat level, the number of people currently deemed a security risk to the country decreased from 90 to 80 over the same period. Between 2001 and now, the FIS is aware of 93 Swiss residents who left Switzerland with a motivation to commit jihad or who are in a conflict zone. Of these, 78 left for Syria or Iraq and 15 to Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Philippines. 

Among the “jihad travellers”, 33 are believed to be dead (27 deaths confirmed) while 16 (13 confirmed cases) are thought to have returned to Switzerland. There have been no new departures to Syria or Iraq since 2016.

“The terrorist threat remains high in our country, in the light of the attacks in Europe in recent months,” stated the FIS. 

According to the intelligence agency, those carrying out such attacks are most often isolated individuals or small groups who have become radicalised without necessarily travelling to conflict areas.