ALBANIA: Albanian Migrants and Risks of Radicalization
ALBANIA: Albanian Migrants and Risks of Radicalization

Author(s): Ebi Spahiu
Subject(s): Civil Society, Islam studies, International relations/trade, Security and defense, Studies in violence and power, Radical sociology , Migration Studies, Sociology of Religion, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Atlantska inicijativa: Udruženje za promicanje euroatlantskih integracija BiH
Keywords: Albania; Albanian migrants; radicalization; Western Balkans; Middle East; extremist organizations; Syrian conflict; ISIL; Iraq; security; violent extremism; foreign fighters;
Summary/Abstract: The case of Albania – a new NATO member and an aspiring EU state – reflects that of many Western Balkans countries which have seen their citizens, largely from Muslim-majority areas, join extremist organizations in the Middle East since the 2011 outset of the Syrian conflict. The number of foreign fighters hailing from Albania and the rest of the region peaked when Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the alleged leader of the so-called Islamic State (ISIL), declared the formation of a new “caliphate” in 2014, in territories in Syria and Iraq, and called on Muslims from around the world to migrate there. Security and intelligence services in the region quickly took action against homegrown extremist cells that recruited and facilitated the travel of citizens in response to Al-Baghdadi’s call. However, questions remain over what motivated citizens from Albania to join extremist organizations and the pattern of their radicalization. [...]

• Details
• Contents