Dutch raise terror level on Syrian concern

The Dutch government raised its threat level Wednesday, saying it was worried that people traveling to fight in Syria might return and incite violence. The National Coordinator for Security and Counter-terrorism said that more people are traveling from the Netherlands to fight alongside Islamic militants in Syrian and elsewhere. The agency said it was worried that "jihad travelers" would return to the Netherlands radicalized and commit violence. The agency said, in response, that it was raising its threat level from "limited" to "substantial." The Dutch government said it believed that around 100 people have left the country to fight alongside militant forces in the Middle East and North Africa, especially in Syria. "Since there has been little in the way of overt radicalization over the past few years, politicians, the authorities and the public have been paying less attention to the dangers of radicalization," its statement read. "The theater of armed conflict in Syria, which is close by and easy to reach, has changed this." The security agency said its Ministry of Justice, intelligence agencies and police were working with their Western allies to assess the threat. Intelligence officers were working with police to investigate the so-called jihad travelers and to look out for signs of radicalization at home. It added that the democratic movements in the region made it easier for some potential radicals to move about, adding security organizations aren't willing or are no longer able to address the threat themselves.