What drives people in Europe? How do Europeans lead their lives? What are their views, hopes and fears? Fokus Europa provides the answers: up close, exciting and balanced.
http://dw.com/focusoneurope?maca=en-podcast_european-journal-2940-xml-mrss
France: The appeal of extremism
More and more young people from Europe are fighting with Islamists in Syria and Iraq. Many were recruited by militant networks and preachers. In France, hundreds of young people have already joined the jihadist fighters. The majority come from non-religious families. Many were first approached by Islamists who claimed to be social workers, while others were recruited over the internet. More than 700 young French men and women have already heeded the call to go to Syria. When they arrive, they find themselves confronted with a reality that is more violent and brutal than they had anticipated. Only a few manage to leave the militant fold - and others die in the civil war.