Bulgarian authorities detain German nationals with radical Islamist links

Bulgarian authorities have detained five German citizens suspected of links to a militant organization after they entered the Balkan country from Romania, the state security agency said on Thursday.
Four have now been expelled and the fifth, a minor, is being looked after by social assistance authorities until he can be handed over to his family in Germany.

They had been traveling by train to Turkey when they were detained at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, the security agency said in a statement.

Four of the Germans were alleged to support a militant organization operating in Syria and Iraq. The minor was meant to reach Syria to join what the state security agency called a terrorist organization, it said without naming any group.

Bulgaria expelled 22 foreigners who were suspected of involvement in terrorist activities last year.

Thousands of West Europeans have traveled through Turkey in the past few years to join Islamic State and other militant Islamist groups fighting in neighboring Syria.