TerrorismDenmark to stop paying state benefits to Danes in ISIS ranks

The Danish government has launched a campaign to recover thousands of dollars worth of benefit money from a few dozens of Danish citizens who have left Denmark to join ISIS in Syria.

The Ekstra Blade. reports that at least thirty-four Danes who traveled to Syria to fight in ISIS ranks have continued to receive unemployment benefits. The newspaper’s report is based on a Freedom of Information request it had filed with Denmark’s employment ministry. The state unemployment benefit are known as “kontanthjælp.” Two Danish ISIS fighters had been recipients of “dagpenge,” a private unemployment benefit heavily subsidized by the state.

Employment Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told the newspaper he would be taking immediate action.

“It is totally unacceptable and a disgrace. It should be stopped,” he said.

The Ministry for Employment is demanding repayment from twenty-nine of the ISIS fighters, and is trying to recover a total of 672,000 Danish Krone (£77,095).

The employment ministry has not explained why it is not demanding refunds from seven of the individuals.

The Daily Express reports thatthis is not the first time Danish citizens have been receiving state assistance while being in Syria fighting for ISIS.

In May last year, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) identified thirty-two individuals as having received unemployment benefits while being active members of a terrorist group.

Those thirty-two individuals, according to an employment ministry document, received a total of 378,000 Danish Krone (£43,358).