Downing Street snubs Donald Trump’s demand that Britain takes back ISIS fighters and their jihadi brides, saying they should face justice in Syria
- Britain has at least six fanatics and dozens of wives still in Syria and the region
- The government wants them to be tried where they committed their crimes
- More than 100 people have had their British citizenship revoked for joining ISIS
- Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell warned Britain cannot ignore its ISIS fighters
- Shamima Begum’s citizenship hasn’t been revoked as she only has one passport
Downing Street has rebuffed Donald Trump’s demand that the UK takes back Islamic State fighters and their jihadi brides.
Britain has at least six fanatics languishing in secret jails in Syria and dozens of wives in refugee camps in the region.
On Sunday, the US president said European nations should ‘step up’ and repatriate more than 800 IS combatants.
The UK government, which has at least six fanatics and dozens of wives still in Syria and the region, has snubbed Trump’s demand that it takes back its ISIS fighters.
If not, he warned America would be forced to release fighters who could make their way back to Europe and plot attacks. But Theresa May rejected the call, insisting prosecutions should take place in the country where the crimes were committed – even if there is no functioning justice system.
A No 10 spokesman said: ‘Foreign fighters should be brought to justice in accordance with due legal process in the most appropriate jurisdiction. Where possible, this should be in the region where crimes were committed. We continue to work closely with our international partners on this.’
But the stance was criticised by Tory MP Andrew Mitchell, a former international development secretary, who said: ‘It’s important these people are not left stateless in ungoverned spaces floating around or consorting with those of ill-intention.’
He added: ‘We cannot just close our eyes and pull up the drawbridge.’
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that by going to fight for ISIS they had shown they ‘hate our country’. He also said that ‘if you back terrorism there must be consequences’
Conservative MP and former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell warned that the UK cannot ‘just close our eyes and pull up the drawbridge’
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed more than 100 dual nationals who travelled to join IS have had their UK citizenship stripped by the Home Office to stop them re-entering the country.
He made the admission in the Commons while answering an urgent question on the case of Shamima Begum, who cannot be banned because she only holds a British passport. Mr Javid said: ‘Whatever role they took in the so-called caliphate, they all supported a terrorist organisation and in doing so they have shown they hate our country.’
He added: ‘If you back terror, there must be consequences.’
Britain has already revoked the citizenship of more than 100 dual-nationals that went to fight for ISIS in Syria and Iraq
The UK is not, however, able to revoke the citizenship of ISIS fighters that only have one passport, such as ISIS bride Shamima Begum
Theresa May wants ISIS fighters to be tried in the places their crimes were committed – even if there is no functioning justice system