Latvian Muslim fighing in Syria, say security service

  • 2014-12-08
  • From wire reports, RIGA

A Muslim from Latvia has joined the armed conflict in Syria and is fighting against Bashar al-Assad's regime, Latvia's Security Police has said.

The Security Police previously told Latvia's TV3 that one Latvian resident was involved in the armed conflict in Syria.

In order to eliminate the potential risks to national security caused by Latvian residents' involvement in politically and religiously motivated conflicts in various regions of the world, the Security Police are carrying out operative counter-surveillance measures, as well as keeping regular contact with foreign services.

The Security Police refused to comment on the ethnicity of the Latvian resident, and whether he has joined ISIS. The police also declined to say for how long the said person has been residing in Syria. 

In November, the Security Police told LETA  they had failed to identify a single Latvian resident who would be connected with ISIS, however, several persons had expressed support for the said organizations ideology, LETA reports.

The Security Police previously announced that in order to eliminate national security risks caused by Latvian residents' involvement in violent activities in conflict regions, it would be necessary to improve the current regulations, including the Criminal Law.

Involvement in armed conflicts threatens the national security of Latvia, as well as Europe's security interests, the Security Police reports.