France confiscates passports of Syria-bound ‘jihadists’

French authorities have confiscated the passports of six citizens who were reportedly planning to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State militant group.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that the authorities had acted against the six men after their departure to Syria appeared to be imminent. Their passports and identity cards have been confiscated for six months, after which the order can be renewed. The men maintain the right to appeal this confiscation in court.

According to French media, some of these men were reported to the authorities by relatives through a newly established telephone hotline, while others were identified by police investigations.

Reuters quoted French officials as estimating that about 400 French citizens are in Syria, while 180 have returned to France, 200 are planning to go and 200 are somewhere in Europe trying to get there.

Meanwhile, France has deployed an aircraft carrier off Bahrain to be used against IS militants. A spokesperson for the French Defence Minister confirmed that planes from the Charles de Gaulle carrier will be used against IS positions in Iraq.

The first Rafale fighter jet took off on Monday morning from the carrier as it sailed about 200km off the northern coast of Bahrain.