PARIS — Authorities in France seized the passports of six alleged French jihadis who were planning to depart to fight in Syria, the first time this anti-terrorism measure has been used, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Monday. The ability to seize passports and identity cards of those suspected of imminent departure abroad to wage jihad was one of the key measures of an anti-terrorism bill passed by parliament in November.
"Today these six administrative bans on leaving the country have been signed, another 40 are in preparation," Cazeneuve told reporters outside the interior ministry. "We wanted this measure ... because if French people leave to commit actions in Iraq and Syria, upon their return they represent an even greater danger for the national territory and risk committing wide-scale terrorist acts."
The government estimates that about 1,400 French citizens have links to recruitment cells for Syria and Iraq, of which about 400 are already fighting alongside militants. France has been on high alert following Islamist attacks in Paris last month that killed 17 people and three gunmen.
In-Depth
- Charlie Hebdo Attack Fails to Kill Satire, Stop Cartoons
- Charlie Hebdo Gunman Texted Coulibaly Before Attack
- France Arrests 8 Over Suspected Links to Jihad Network