A tip-off from the Dutch security service AIVD led police to stop a 16-year-old would-be jihadist leaving the country to fight in Syria, the NRC reports on Friday.

Police spokeswoman Nicole Bogers told the NRC the teenager had been stopped in connection with an investigation into people actively recruiting youngsters to join the armed struggle in Syria.

Sources told the paper the 16-year-old was a girl who wanted to join the fight against the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Police have confirmed they have had four complaints about three recruiters.

100 fighters

The national counter-terrorism office said earlier this year that some 100 Dutch youngsters have left the country to take part in jihadist missions.

However, Bogers told the NRC: ‘the rumours speak of 100 people in The Hague region but we only know of six who are definitely in Syria. There are strong indications a further 24 have gone.’ Two of them are female and nine are juveniles, the NRC reported.

Earlier stories

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Counter-terrorism body raises attack risk to substantial

Dutch Moroccan dies fighting in Syria, sources say

Up to 100 Dutch are fighting in holy wars, mainly Syria

Police arrest three men who planned to fight in Syria