Denmark Charges first Syria fighter over joining Daesh

A Danish man who traveled to Syria in 2013 to join Daesh militant group was on Tuesday charged with breaching Denmark's anti-terrorism laws, in the country's first case of its kind, the BBC reported.

Danish lawmakers meanwhile passed new legislation making it treason to join "hostile armed forces" like Daesh.

"It is the prosecution's view that everyone who joins IS in Syria has agreed in principle to take part in the terrorist acts that IS commits in the country," prosecutor Lise-Lotte Nilas said in a statement.

The 23-year-old man faced charges over "agreeing to be recruited to commit terrorist acts" and for "violating the ban against supporting terrorism," she said.

The latter charge was over carrying 20,000 kroner ($2,935, 2,680 euros) with him when he was arrested by Danish police in March this year as he attempted to return to Syria.

If found guilty he would face over four years in prison.

The prosecution said it would also seek to strip the man of his Danish citizenship if Turkish authorities confirm he is a dual Danish-Turkish national.

At least 125 people have left Denmark for Syria and Iraq since the summer of 2012, according to the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, but until now authorities have been unable to prove that any of them had joined Daesh.

The trial is expected to open in the spring, the prosecution said.

Sources: MENA