The United States is "very, very grateful to Germany," Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday after three American teenage girls suspected of intending to join Islamist militants were apprehended at Frankfurt Airport. Two sisters, aged 17 and 15, and another 16-year-old flew back to their home of Denver voluntarily after their parents contacted German officials who stopped them at the airport over the weekend.
"It is under investigation now. Our folks are looking at the causes and impacts very carefully...this is an example of good cooperation between us, and the increased vigilance of law enforcement on this issue of the movement of people from one country to another," Kerry told a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday. "We are very, very grateful for Germany for their cooperation with us on this particular incident of young folks who were travelling." Officials told NBC News the girls had flown to Frankfurt through Denver and Chicago, with tickets to travel onto Turkey. From there they intended to go to Syria to join up with ISIS or another Islamist group, several U.S. officials said.
IN-DEPTH
- Teenage Girls Detained in Germany, Apparently on Way to Syria
- FBI Trolls Social Media for Would-Be Jihadis
- Illinois Teen Charged With Trying to Travel to Mideast to Join ISIS
