The passports of eight people planning to travel to Syria to fight against president Assad have been confiscated, counter-terrorism chief Dick Schoof told Radio 1 on Tuesday.

It is the first time passport confiscation has been used to prevent Dutch nationals travelling to fight in the war-torn country, Schoof said.

The information that the eight were planning to join the fighting came from the public prosecutor, the police or the security service, Schoof told Radio 1.

The counter-terrorism chief said the eight can take their case to the appeal court.

He also said the move is ‘effective’, but said he must now wait to hear the judgement of a court on whether it is legally possible.

MPs asked justice minister Ivo Opstelten in March 2013 to investigate whether the passports of young Dutch nationals who plan to fight with rebel forces in Syria can be confiscated.

Over 100 Dutch nationals have travelled to Syria to join the fighting since the war broke out nearly three years ago. Several have been killed.