The number of known radical Islamic Salafists has exceeded the 10,000 mark, according to a new report by the German domestic intelligence agency
The report by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), which was released this week, shows that the number of radical Islamists now totals 10,800, up from 9,700 the year before and shows a more than doubling of the number from five years ago, Die Welt reports.
The newspaper has also claimed that the number of radical Islamists coincides with an increase in the number of criminal cases in which a radical Islamic motive or background was suspected.
The BfV noted that Germany is still in the crosshairs for radical Islamic terrorism and that the situation is still very serious. The agency said that they have identified around 1,880 individuals in Germany who they believe may have the potential to carry out a terrorist attack and more worryingly, that the number was continuing to rise.
The number of terrorism cases has also greatly increased between 2016 and 2017. Last year the agency said there had been 1,200 terror cases initiated, 1,000 of which were related to radical Islamic elements. In 2016, the total number was 250 with 200 of the cases being linked to radical Islam.
The report echoes that of other security agencies in Europe which continue to reveal a rise in the number of radical extremists.
Sweden’s security agency Säpo reported that the number of Islamic extremists last year had risen to 2,000, a ten-fold increase from 2010.
In France, the terror watch list, known as the S-File, is said to contain around 20,000 individuals and the danger is expected to increase in the country as 450 convicted radicals are set to be released from prisons across the country by the end of next year. Around 50 of the released prisoners are considered to be terror threats.
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