‘Extremists part of daily flow into Europe’ says top Nato commander

Violent extremists, foreign fighters, and criminals are part of the daily refugee flow into Europe, the top Nato military commander in Europe told lawmakers, “masking the movement” of these dangerous elements and heightening potential for an attack.

In testimony before the senate armed services committee, US air force general Philip Breedlove said the Islamic State (IS) is “spreading like a cancer” within this mix, “taking advantage of paths of least resistance, threatening European nations” and the US.

Mr Breedlove later told reporters that he has asked for more US forces to be permanently based in Europe, which is facing threats from a more aggressive Russia as well as IS.