ISIS fanatics on the loose

ISIS' all-female Al-Khansa brigade in Syria. It is feared women returning to the UK could launch terror attacks

BRITAIN has one of the largest numbers of returning ISIS fighters in the world, a new report suggests.

Around 850 UK-linked individuals "of national security concern" made the journey to the jihadists' crumbling "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq, with just under half of those believed to have come back.

ISIS is believed to have cultivated an army of child soldiers for future battles against the Western world

And there are fears women and even KIDS who return to the UK could launch terror attacks on our streets.

The figure of approximately 425 returnees is the fourth highest for individual nations in an analysis published by the Soufan Centre and the Global Strategy Network.

By comparison, around 300 returned to Germany and 271 to France.

Out of countries for which data was available, only Turkey (900), Tunisia (800) and Saudi Arabia (760) had larger numbers of returning "foreign fighters", according to the study.

The paper, written by Richard Barrett, a former director of global counter-terrorism at MI6, said: "While returning foreign fighters have not as yet added significantly to the threat of terrorism around the world, the number of attacks inspired or directed by the Islamic State continues to rise.

"All returnees, whatever their reason for going home, will continue to pose some degree of risk."

Chillingly, the report notes there has also been a rise in the number of women involved in attacks - with nearly a quarter of terror plots in Europe from the start of 2017 to May involving women.

The danger of women attackers was laid bare in September 2016, the French authorities arrested three women for leaving a car bomb near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The plot had been guided by ISIS members in Syria.

The report also highlights the terrifying possibility that brainwashed children could launch terror attacks on British shores.

ISIS feature British boy thought to be Sally Jones' son Joe 'JoJo' Dixon in execution video

ENTERPRISE NEWS AND PICTURES

Junaid Hussain, the British hacker, IS fighter, recruiter and terror plotter, and husband of Jihadi widow Sally Jones. He was killed in Raqqa in 2015.

THE NATIONS WITH THE MOST RETURNING JIHADIS

1. Turkey - 900
2. Tunisia - 800
3. Saudia Arabia - 760
4. UK - 425
5. Russia - 400
6. Germany - 300
7. France - 271
8. Jordan 250
9. West Balkans - 250
10. Morocco - 198