TIRANA, April 24 – Albanian police arrested an 18-year-old at the Kakavia border crossing station between Greece and Albania on charges of involvement in armed conflicts and war operations in third countries, the Albanian General Police Directorate said in a statement.
The young man was extradited by Greek police and was immediately held by the Albanian Police Counter-Terrorism Directorate and questioned about his links to jihadists groups operating in Syria.
There has been increased worry in the Balkans about extremists approaching young men in order to convince them to participate in wars in the Middle East. This is the first known case of Greece being used as a transit country.
Albanian authorities have charged the teenager with trying to join Muslim extremists fighting in Syria, which is illegal under Albanian law.
He was detained in Greece for illegally entering the country from Albania, and promptly handed over to Albanian authorities who arrested him.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Nine Albanian Muslims, including two preachers, are on trial for recruiting for Syrian rebels.
Muslims make up more than half of Albania’s population, but most are secular.
Mainstream religious leaders have called on believers not to join rebel groups in Syria.
