citizenship-confiscatedThe EU’s counter-terrorism co-ordinator recently warned of the threat of “huge numbers” of European citizens returning from fighting in Iraq and Syria. Roughly 3,000 EU citizens are believed to be fighting on behalf of Islamist groups in the region, and experts are worried that they could pose a security risk on their return.

Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, issued a wake-up call to governments when she said that “far too few EU Member States are facing up to this rising threat. We need strong, preventive measures to counter extremism in all its forms.”

But what sort of measures would be most effective? We had a comment sent in by Catherine arguing that EU citizens travelling to Iraq and Syria to join militant groups should have their passports confiscated and their citizenship revoked:

citizen_icon_180x180On a practical level, any person who leaves the European continent to fight in any of these jihads must have their passports removed, along with their nationalisation, whether born within European borders or outside of it.

The European Commission has issued a list of measures it believes would strengthen the EU’s response to radicalisation and violent extremism. None of these measures involve revoking citizenship (which would be illegal under international law if it led to an individual becoming stateless). Nevertheless, several EU Member States, including the UK, Austria, France, and the Netherlands, have either already enacted laws to remove the citizenship of dual-nationals convicted of terror offences, or else are currently debating whether to do so.

To get a response, we took Catherine’s suggestion to Sajjad Karim, a British Conservative MEP whose work in the European Parliament has particularly focused on issues including the radicalisation of EU citizens, human rights and civil liberties. How would he respond to Catherine’s comment?

KarimWell, I think it’s important that Catherine and all European citizens do look at this in a much broader context. The fact of the matter is that European residents and citizens leaving Europe to go and carry out these kind of activities is not anything new.

I’m certainly able to trace the history of this going right the way back to the 1980s and, at the EU level, for the last four or five years we have been trying to encourage our national governments to stop EU passport holders from actually leaving their nation state in order to go abroad and carry out these terrorist activities.

Today, we are in a situation where we have a significant number of people from the EU – about 3,000 in total – who are currently carrying out terrorist-related activities with the likes of IS / ISIL. And, many of those people will, at some stage, want to try and come back to their Member States.

What do we do? Well, I’m somebody who puts my name to saying that we should ensure that we carry out due process. Where they have carried out criminal activities, we actually prosecute them within our nation state. I don’t accept that it is right we make them stateless by taking away either their passports or, indeed, by taking away their nationality. What we should do is make sure they are returned and that they face criminal proceedings where appropriate.

We also spoke to Martine Reicherts, former EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights & Citizenship. She argued that more effort should also be put into preventing EU citizens from becoming radicalised in the first place:

How can European governments prevent their citizens from going to fight in Iraq and Syria? Should returning militants have their passports and citizenship removed? Or should due process be followed, investigating and prosecuting them for any criminal acts committed? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below, and we’ll take them to policy-makers and experts for their reactions!

IMAGE CREDITS: CC / Flickr – Örlygur Hnefill


228 comments Post a commentcomment

What do YOU think?

  1. avatar
    Christos Mouzeviris

    They do not feel European and so perhaps yes! But then again, what about those Austrian girls who went over there to have babies with IS militants? What nationality should they be given? Just a thought!!

    • avatar
      crayven

      A non European one.
      Women have the same right AND responsabilities nowadays.

  2. avatar
    Jaume Roqueta

    we should fight financial aid to IS… everybody knows that IS is financed and trined in Qatar and Arabia Saudi… so please you can start by stop buying theri fuel… also we shoud stop selling weapons to them… so pleas stop funding european, USA and ISrael companies that sell weapons to them trhough Qatar… stop pleas doing propaganda agains IS and start doing sanctions to these countries and companies… if you dont do it like this it seems to me that you have economic intersets behind IS and the desestabilization of the zone… it is a very old war teknique to finance terrorists in the countries you want to invade… in this case, to put your companies in that peace of land with very old traditions and exceptic with western buissenes plans…

    • avatar
      sam

      Yes it’s the Saudi’s Qatar’s ISREAL etc who is supporting, aiding abetting and financing these freaks. AND YES it’s the US UK ISREAL GOVT’S along with the other European puppet regimes who are SUPPORTING the Saudi freaks to do so. So in short your own tax payer $, €, £ are only channeled to entice these freaks. Now when the monster has come home to roost ? There is no point in shouting “help” “gelp”. Ask Bush , Blair Hillary what the F they were doing when taking out a country at a time in Iraq , Libya , Syria etc and creating the breeding grounds. So do not talk of temporary solutions. End the root cause

  3. avatar
    Jason Pi

    Do you think that some politicians in various countries, should be stripped of their citizenship? Should John McCain be stripped of his US citizenship?

    • avatar
      crayven

      That for the US to decide not the EU.We don’t care about american petty problems.

  4. avatar
    Borislav Valkov

    Why is so wrong to take away someone’s rights when that person’s goal in life is to destroy your own rights and force you to accept his lifestyle?

  5. avatar
    Ivan Vikalo

    Yes… But first people need to be trailed, and when found guilty, then you can take their citizenship away

    • avatar
      John Scarfe

      Trailed? Dont You mean trialed. ;)

  6. avatar
    Julia Mikić

    NO.
    They need a place to go back to when they’ve realised their mistake (and they will), and serve to tell their story to discourage other pseudo-rebellious susceptible youngsters with no idea about real life (which is exactly what they are) from repeating their mistake.

    That sends a much, much stronger message about what being “civilised” REALLY means.

  7. avatar
    Karel Van Isacker

    THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED BY MODERATORS FOR BREACHING OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. REPLIES MAY ALSO BE REMOVED.

  8. avatar
    Alex Tselentis

    Stupid question, of course, Europe is not Saudi Arabia/Turkey .. Beheading and chopping peoples heads off is not a custom in Europe, and never will be.

  9. avatar
    Olivia Sena

    Their citizenship should be removed and also extremists should be tackled. Indirect terrorism is as direct terrorism! So people that are supporters of jihadism should also be prosecuted and their citizenship questioned!

  10. avatar
    Olivia Sena

    And yes, if some of them would render their status stateless, by all means! Still do it!

  11. avatar
    Mysteriou Scow

    No ! The fighters are actually teenagers who have been brainwashed by sect’s gurus. You can’t abandon them to that fate without trying to save them first !

  12. avatar
    Inês Beato

    Yes and they should be detained upon arrival. Terrorism is not like a summer camp you go do for a while and then come back home. People need to be accountable for their actions.

    • avatar
      crayven

      An dmirable sentiment but pragmatism of safety must trump feelings in this case.
      They made their choice…and now must face th consequences -they will mature this way.
      Too bad it will be in a hellhole.

  13. avatar
    Ognian Velkov

    I am strongly for restriction!

  14. avatar
    Erich Scheffl

    Don’t let them back. Cancel their citizenship. We did not send them for our war. It was their decision. Then they shall become citizens of IS. We don’t need hate in Europe. We have troubles enough.

  15. avatar
    Herta Manenti

    What if the Europan fighting for ISIS is a Native European , I guess this issue is more complex than this

    • avatar
      crayven

      No, it’not.
      I am a “native”and till think my citizenship shoild be revoked if my brain would rot enough to join beheading savages rather than live in the first world of comfort, luxury and enlightement.

  16. avatar
    Pedro Redondeiro

    YES, however, they should also go to international court for the crimes they commited. In case some of them are caught! ;)

  17. avatar
    Aldo Pitisci

    They have made their choice. Revoke their citizenship and block them from reentering

  18. avatar
    Franco Suarez

    When one chooses to fight against the states responsible for atrocities against humanity, elsewhere, you have essentially renounce to be part of the inhumane or silent majority funding organized oppression.

  19. avatar
    Matt Dovey

    THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED BY MODERATORS FOR BREACHING OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. REPLIES MAY ALSO BE REMOVED.

  20. avatar
    Yannick Cornet

    I think we need to take a step back here and evaluate what is at stake. This is about the EU taking a stance on what is politically correct? So if I disagree with the EU official position, I could be stripped of my citizenship? This question ought not to be asked, it would create a very dangerous precedent. What we need is an international court of justice that would appropriately punish any action against international law, not a system that ties citizenship to taking a stand one one side or other of international politics. To exemplify, what if I decide to help the Jewish cause by joining the expansion if settlements in the West Bank, what then? Alternatively, if I prefer to join the plight of the Palestinians by joining efforts against he occupation, what then? My answer is a clear NO: this is slippery territory.

  21. avatar
    Yannick Cornet

    I think we need to take a step back here and evaluate what is at stake. This is about the EU taking a stance on what is politically correct? So if I disagree with the EU official position, I could be stripped of my citizenship? This question ought not to be asked, it would create a very dangerous precedent. What we need is an international court of justice that would appropriately punish any action against international law, not a system that ties citizenship to taking a stand one one side or other of international politics. To exemplify, what if I decide to help the Jewish cause by joining the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, what then? Alternatively, if I prefer to join the plight of the Palestinians by joining efforts against he occupation, what then? My answer to the question above is a clear NO: this is slippery territory.

  22. avatar
    Chay Carle

    No, remember many have gone to fight in “righteous” causes in the past, George Orwell fought against the fascists in Spain. Should his citizenship be renounced.

    What has to be remembered is that many are young and idealistic, they may well have been brainwashed. It would appear that some are now realising thier mistake. Bring thenm back and use them to help prevent the radicalisation of others

  23. avatar
    Claus Skøtt Christensen

    No! Christ, we want to give these people every chance in the world to regret their decision! Stripping them og their citizenship means they can never go back. There is no way out for them. Congratulations, you’ve just created a lifelong millitant extremist.

    • avatar
      Alex

      There is a way.Getting butchered by US drones and the yanks have my full support in this case^^

    • avatar
      Dobromir

      Those people are murderers(even if they did not actually kill anyone) and should not be allowed back in society. I think they should be tried as war criminals. Filling the ranks of organizations such as IS causes thousands of civilian deaths.
      Having them imprisoned would, however cost much to the states they are imprisoned within so it’s quite easier to revoke the citizenship and expel them.

  24. avatar
    catherine benning

    Yes, and their families told they must join them so that they can continue with family life in an environment more suited to their cultural preferences. For, if families created such a hatred for the European peoples way of life, whilst raising these misfits, then they are simply waiting for their turn to be equally as barbaric to others. This hatred in the soul of these people raised in our society did not come from nowhere. It came from their background, their schools and their cultural ethos

    • avatar
      crayven

      Yes

  25. avatar
    S.K

    If we let them back we already lost, you cant watch someone 24/7 365, #1 it would take a lot of man power, money, time and nerves, #2 and it means exposing the nations and the innocent peoples to a serious threat, this is unacceptable. When someone wants to play moral apostle and make arguments against statelesness of Terrorists my answer to them is very simple and logical, who left who?!?THEY LEFT EUROPE, they divorced themselves from their nations, the removing of their citizenship even if it leads to statelessness is just making it official, let them stay in Syria etc. and suffer the consequences of their actions! Its about time that human right get interpreted as protectig innocent people and proteting nations instead of what we see time and time again where human rights are used to favour criminals and terrorists. If you threaten the innocent you must expect to get kicked in your ass either legally or physically!

  26. avatar
    Alex

    a german sitizen who served in a foreign militery loses his citizenship.The same should be expended to militias

  27. avatar
    EU reform- proactive

    How soon will the EU or its Member States heed the good “advice” by Gilles de Kerchove (EU counter terrorism) and Cecilia Malmström (COM for Home Affairs) stating: “we need strong, preventive measures (which?) to counter extremism in all its forms” and “step up border checks and passport controls to counter the threat of returning jihadist fighters”?

    Does that in the extreme not contradict what has been signed under “The European Convention on Nationality ” by 29 countries in 1997/2014?

    Article 5: provides that no discrimination shall exist in a state’s internal nationality law on the grounds of “sex, religion, race, colour or national or ethnic origin”. It also provides that a state shall not discriminate amongst its nationals on the basis of whether they hold their nationality by birth or acquired it subsequently.

    Article 7: “provides that states may deprive their nationals of their nationality in only the cases of voluntary acquisition of another nationality, fraud or failure to provide relevant information when acquiring nationality, voluntary military service in a foreign military force, or adoption as a child by foreign nationals.“

    “Yes,- claw back lost competences from the EU supra- nationalisation creep!”
    Every sovereign EU Member still has some “Citizenship legislation” prescribed in their “Citizenship Act”. How to obtain and how to loose same! It must not be alienated by Brussels!

    One effective decision would be to distrust & dismiss as unworkable the porous EU outer borders in its entirety. Rather hand them back where they were originally and introduce alien control measures at home! The use of “an electronic passport/ chip- screening system- similarly to the available method used for cars- on “Open Road Tolling”- could be an option. That would create some useful jobs at home- costs to be deducted from the EU budget by reducing the numbers of EU politicians- plus limiting the writing of more burdensome becoming future EU treaties!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Convention_on_Nationality

    To argue that more effort (create an army of Psychologists & Social workers to speak to all Sociopaths, Psychopaths & deranged?) should be put into preventing EU citizens (what about parents & schools?) from becoming radicalised in the first place (number ~3k to 10k in 500 mio!)- is a fruitless task. It is a consequence of EU/NATO/US politics & policies gone wrong & PC madness- adding more waste to an already over indebted EU! The EU vampire bats coming home to roost!

  28. avatar
    Marcel

    Those who have collaborated with the war crimes and the genocide the USA committed in Iraq between 2003 and 2008 should also have their citizenship removed, or alternatively be hauled in front of some kind of Nuremberg style tribunal.

    When is the UK going to arrest Blair? After all, according to the Nuremberg protocol it isn’t necessary for one to have committed the crimes themselves in order to be guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and conspiracy to commit those.

    • avatar
      Yvetta

      I have to agree with this comment…there seems to be a double standard when applying international law, which makes a mockery of the whole process…And as far as Iraq is concerned, things are only so bad because of Western intervention. The issue of assimilation and integration of Muslim immigrants into western society needs to be looked at more in depth and those that do not integrate should not be granted citizenship to start with.

    • avatar
      crayven

      First time i agree with you :)
      Waiting for Bush and Blair to be tried. Probably i will grow old and still won’t happen though.

  29. avatar
    Maia Alexandrova

    Why deal with terrorists only at this late stage, after they have been radicalised in Europe, then gone and fought in Syria and only when they are coming back we are thinking of how to prevent them from entering? I think the fight with this evil should be at a much earlier stage – at the beginning, when people are starting to be brainwashed in mosques, for example. There should be much greater attention to what is preached in mosques. Every single one of them should be monitored by the authorities and if anything is suspected, then immediate measures should be taken, for example arresting the suspect preachers and mosque attendants and investigating them for extremist beliefs contradicting European values. This may lead to court trials with terrorism charges, then removing EU citizenship and deportation along with families for those who have dual citizenship, or long imprisonment for the rest. Mosques could also be closed as a preventative measure. This is not an attack on all Muslims but a way to identify those who have become mentally deranged and are a potential danger to society.

    Another means for radicalisation are social networks where videos and extremist religious views are exchanged. As a first step, all access to them from Syria and Iraq could be blocked but if it doesn’t help, then whole websites such as Facebook and Youtube could be blocked for all users, temporarily, until the Islamic State has been defeated. I know chatting is important to many people, but cutting the information channels of those bloodthirsty animals is much more important.

    When the terrorists are isolated by depriving them from their main means of spreading hatred and brainwashing people, then there may not be any EU citizens wishing to fight in Syria at all. The main focus should be stopping the spread of poisonous ideas which create new terrorists, rather than dealing with the results after that. Everyone should be made aware that if they have dual citizenship and take the decision to help the Islamic State in any way, they could lose their European passport.

  30. avatar
    Anatilde Alves

    No , we are europeans! We are the ones that strive for equal rights , that take a stand for justice, and the people here saying yes to this , dont know what being European is all about.

  31. avatar
    Anatilde Alves

    No , we are europeans! We are the ones that strive for equal rights , that take a stand for justice, and the people here saying yes to this , dont know what being European is all about.

  32. avatar
    Daniel Dimitrov

    No, because w/o citizenship they might evade being deported to Guantanamo. Citizenship does not play a role other than not having it makes it easier for them to just be deported instead of spending time in prison.

  33. avatar
    Renato Miguel Seer

    yes they should … you can not expect to fight in a terrorist group and to return the enemy’s side right after, it’s a risk we can not take… it’s not a matter of human rights, its a matter of nacional security, everyone must choose a side…

  34. avatar
    ironworker

    I think denying EU citizenship to ISIS “warriors” is the lightest “punishment” out there. They are lucky that we as europeans don’t have our own Guantanamo (Corsica ?), but is not too late to build one. The way I see it, is that “we” are way too scrupulous and humane regarding some cold blooded killers. “Brain washed” my a**, I held responsible for the atrocities committed by “EU citizens” in Iraq and Syria the “religious tolerant” governments, those who allow religious extremism in their own backyard.

  35. avatar
    Tatiana

    As oppression, extreme capitalism and fascism rise in the west, so will the other extremes in other places around the world. Why does it sound strange? Isn’t a fascist regime in power in Ukraine, with the aknowledgement and recognition by Mrs. Merkel and most of the E.U. Member states? Isn’t a global financial crisis happening right now, precisely because the capitalists are waging their own wars? To say that we should do something about those europeans who go fight for jihad is at least hypocritical and it is like curing a symptom rather than the disease.

  36. avatar
    Paul X

    THIS POST HAS BEEN REMOVED BY MODERATORS FOR BREACHING OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. REPLIES MAY ALSO BE REMOVED.

    • avatar
      catherine benning

      @ Paul X:

      Your post proffers the same illusory idea that has these fools leading us bringing Ebola patients from Africa back to the UK and Europe so they can infect us all. Or, the added crazy idea that allowing flights in from disease ridden states and taking the travellers temperature on arrival will somehow protect the general public. Mad as bloody hatters the lot of you.

      The air control system on a flight pumps the same inhaled wet particles throughout the cabin, thereby the infection would already have passed to all passengers before they ever step foot on soil. And the cost of this nonsense is laughable.

      http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/15/health/texas-ebola-outbreak/index.html

      This tactic of bringing crazed axeman back to our country to imprisoning them here, in order to allow them to spread their disease into our already infected country, is simply madness. Why do you want to feed and water fanatical, stop at nothing individuals at the already over stretched UK tax payers cost when leaving them where they want to be is what they deserve. Clearly you have no idea what a leg up it is to be in a European cell getting clean sheets, three meals a day and entertainment at our expense. Have you any idea at all of the conditions in a middle east battle field? Martyrdom is what they seek, let them enjoy it whilst it lasts, and allow their families to be with them to enjoy the pride they feel at watching them take this step for their faith.

      Funny, I thought you were a professed freedom lover.

      http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/10/12/blood-of-jihad-isis-training-video-promises-recruits-they-will-leave-iraqs-battlefields-as-martyrs/

    • avatar
      Paul X

      Catherine, you clearly misread, or did not read my post.
      The last thing in the world I want is these scum imprisoned and have my taxes wasted on giving them a life of luxury
      They want martyrdom? then give it to them, and make sure it is done in the same degrading and inhuman way they inflict on others
      Unfortunately this will never happen as there are far to many soft in the head idiots running our society who would bleat about the “human rights” of these sub humans who enjoy hacking the heads off innocent people.
      If ever there was a case for reintroducing the death penalty then this is it and I cant see anyone having a decent argument against it?

    • avatar
      BenBV

      mercenaries are fighting for money, not against our country and against our civilization rights, the extremist islamic are fighting for their religion it’s different.
      Yes, the French Foreign Legion is full of non-french but it is here also different, people should see this as a gift because france allowed them to be french after 5 years in the army and once more there are not fighting against us, our society.
      Arrest them??? seriously so that they finishes in prison where they will do proselytism and more people will join their cause?? And you want us to pay millions of pound to try to put them back in the system? Don’t forget that these people are killers (last month British islamic extremist where the ones who kills theses two poor hostage…) they made an irreversible choice, they should stay in Syria

  37. avatar
    Dory Moutran

    No, these people are citizens of the EU, and EU member states knowingly allowed thousands of these terrorists to cause trouble in other countries. Why should the EU members wash their hands a second time by making sure these people stay in those countries? We should allow them to come back and face legal charges here!

  38. avatar
    maria

    yes yes yes… we are freedom. they are jealous of our freedom.. they are brainwashed

  39. avatar
    crayven

    Duh, obviously.
    And also placed on a terrorist watch list so they can never get back to Europe ever again.

  40. avatar
    Jaume Roqueta

    stop funding ISIS please! who buys their petrol? everybody know that Qatar gave them weapons and tryining so .. .why dont condem Qatar and Emirates?… ou shit… becouse they pay you?

  41. avatar
    Anthony

    This shoud not even be a topic for debate. It’s like saying should the nazis have been jailed for what they did. Of course! They should not be able to come back to Europe. They chose to go fight their jihad, well, enjoy it! As the saying goes, you’ve made your bed and now you must lie in it.

    Our society needs to start treating adults as adults and hold them accountabe for their actions. Specially criminal/terrorist ones. And do not even mention that the mayority, if not all of them, are not even Europeans. If we had strict control of who comes in to Europe, I would bet most of them, or their parents, would not have been able to come. But since we do not, now we have what we have. And the same saying can be applied to us, you’ve made your bed and now you must lie in it.

  42. avatar
    Marcel

    Those working for the EU should have their passports revoked and then they should be put on trial for the quislings that they are.

  43. avatar
    George YIANNITSIOTIS

    1. Depriving one of his citizenship lies on national regulation. Therefore, it is up to each member-state to decide on the subject
    2. The potential threat of returning jihadists shall be counterbalanced primarily with intelligence
    3. Point (2) raises questions regarding privacy esp. in ICT sphere (internet, telecoms)
    4. Point (3) raises questions of feasibility (only great powers like the USA or Russia gather the potential of deploying such a project)
    5. Point (4) raises questions of alliances and cooperation well beyond the EU “borders” and membership (including Russia)

    Considering all the above, one can be sure for only one thing: nothing can be done on the EU level

  44. avatar
    Brigid burns

    THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED BY MODERATORS FOR BREACHING OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. REPLIES MAY ALSO BE REMOVED.

  45. avatar
    Jake

    Remove them without further questions. If they are proud to die, as martyrs, their immediate families should be deported-removed from the circle of citizens with rights. I know it is not fair to the families but you have to grab them at the sensitive parts. If they are ready to die you won’t scare them. If their 90 years old mom will suffer the consequences they might (!) think twice and get some counter effects from the families.

  46. avatar
    cassiope

    These losers made the choice now let them live with it. Why should my children be put in danger on public transport because of this sick ideology.

  47. avatar
    chris rodgers

    Once you had left to join is your rights to return to your country should automatically be taken away.Why should tax payers pay to prosecute a person who has no respect to the country they live in.

    • avatar
      George Yiannitsiotis

      Exact!

  48. avatar
    Sam Durado

    If they were fighting on the enemies side in the defense of an ideology that is a direct threat to European values then yes, they should not be allowed to return as they clearly have proven themselves a threat, but if they were fighting for the preservation of human dignity and freedom as clearly imbued by European values then they should be embraced back.

  49. avatar
    Mahmoud Bay

    To face this wave of idiocy there should be disciplinary methods for sure, yet, what interests “normal” civilians is rather a preventive system that foresees such cases before happening and mitigate the consequences to the minimal level possible. Discipline without prevention brings on hugely arguable security staus.

  50. avatar
    Lamborghini P.

    It depends who they are fighting for. For ISIS, absolutely yes. It was not even to ask.

  51. avatar
    Σαντυ Μπαλμπαγάδη

    If they are immigrants or refugees that got citizenship from a European country Yes.Because they show no respect for the country that trusted them and gave them all and more benefits.

  52. avatar
    Mario Pisano

    Shall that stuff even be asked?? First of all lifetime jail and once they are in doesn’t even matter their citizenship as they should not be entitled to see the sunlight again.

  53. avatar
    Eberhard M. Bartelmess

    Not the citizenship, but they simply cannot be allowed to roam freely throughout the EU – so restrictions on the issue of the passports may well be a step into the right direction even though this measure on its own would hardly be enough

  54. avatar
    Stella Kontogianni

    If they decide to fight against other human beings it is a reason for accused for crimes. So if they decide to fight by the side of isis they fight against Europeans or any other who is their enemy. So they are not considered as Europeans then. Why they have passports?

  55. avatar
    Mariana de Almeida

    I don’t know about citizenship, but EU countries which haven’t updated their legislation on terrorism (or don’t have one) yet should get on with it. These individuals must be tried in a court of law for their crimes – I really don’t care how young, deluded and “brainwashed” they claim they were: they were legal and consenting adults who, even if they themselves never pulled a trigger, knowingly and consciously involved themselves with terrorism and can be tried, at the very least, as accomplices. There’s a limit to what we can blame on youthful foolishness…

  56. avatar
    Alex Lexva

    Yes. If they are immigrants who do not believe in european values fighting for Isis, yes

  57. avatar
    Darin Attard

    It’s not the question to spot a terrorist, if they want burka deport them to their land and if they want sharia law, deport them to their land. If an idiot preaches hate and stupid matrydome for Allah – prosecute and deport them. What the hell, were the 2 world wars for? Is this our future?

  58. avatar
    Chaibi Belhassen

    U r seating in ur fucking chair and suggesting subjects and questions like that to people who are seeing their life getting worst by credit unemployment,debt and misery the only thing that u concentrate on is terrorism let me tell u that the real terrorism is the government one

  59. avatar
    Ivan Burrows

    .

    What would that achieve ?, not exactly complying with the law in the first place are they & never allow the EU anywhere near them.

    Allow the security services to get all the information out of them then bury them in high security prison until they die.

  60. avatar
    Nando Aidos

    Should those politicians creating untenable “living conditions” have their citizenship annulled and their passports confiscated? Among other things? Getting to the root of the problem may be better than going after the symptoms.

  61. avatar
    Nando Aidos

    Should those politicians creating untenable “living conditions” have their citizenship annulled and their passports confiscated? Among other things? Getting to the root of the problem may be better than going after the symptoms.

  62. avatar
    nando

    Should those politicians creating untenable “living conditions” have their citizenship annulled and their passports confiscated? Among other things? Getting to the root of the problem may be better than going after the symptoms.

  63. avatar
    Desto Milan

    One thing to be certain about is that they will become recruiting, destructive and curruptive machines which will cause more expansive terrorists and terrorism in Europe’s soil.

  64. avatar
    Desto Milan

    One thing to be certain about is that they will become recruiting, destructive and curruptive machines which will cause more expansive terrorists and terrorism in Europe’s soil.

  65. avatar
    Bobbi Suzic

    No, they shall be punished for the crime they committed. Otherwise we are running in situation of shuffling away criminals and pingpong play of them between different countries

  66. avatar
    Toni Muñiz

    Yes. What should be done is stop them from re-entering. And if caught in Europe they should get a life sentence.

  67. avatar
    Carolina Muro Rosa

    The question is not clear enough. only by reading the article one realises you are talking about “fighting for fundamentalist groups” from one religion, perhaps better addressed as a cult and not as a religion. It puzzled me because there are also Europeans in the military of their countries fighting in the same area. Back to the subject, if they have double citizenship and it proves their mane values are not European/ from culture were they grew up, if they present risk of continuing activities pro terrorism, then perhaps that is fare and for the best.

  68. avatar
    Irena Leibovici

    IF THEY ARE ON THE ARE IN ISIS, OF COURSE! They willm ever remain a danger for the normal people!

  69. avatar
    Aldo Pitisci

    Daft question. Of course they should have citizenship revoked.
    AND A TOTAL BAN FROM RETURNING TO ANY PART OF THE EU

  70. avatar
    Ferenc Lázár

    Definitely should! Those individuals are fighting against all European countries and values!

  71. avatar
    Любомир Иванчев

    How can this even be a serious question!? Of course! These people have no place in a modern european civilization, because their values are in a direct conflict with european values like liberty, freedom of and from religion and equal human rights.

  72. avatar
    Gabe Freire

    Even though I’m against any sort of religious extremism and truly believe it should be deterred, I don’t support any situation in which a person is stripped of their nationality. A person in such situation should be dealt with like any criminal would, a fair tribunal and sentence conferred by their country.
    The EU should start advancing in anti terrorism measures, but with reinforcement and intelligence. Also, correct government propaganda that teach the population against such groups that hurt freedom of minorities.

  73. avatar
    Richard Osborne

    Yes they should. Render them stateless. I know it’s against the u.n rules but leave them between a rock and a hard place. They’ll develop or already have the ability to falsify passports, but if found out then they can be disposed of without some idiotic human rights lawyer, who”s more concerned about rights than obligations, getting in the way.

    • avatar
      James Campbell

      I think it’s difficult for countries to unilaterally make people stateless. If we did that, we could face bad consequences from other nations. So this means that we would have to lock up home-grown terrorists for life. However, almost all terrorists have dual nationality so the problem would be a small one. Terrorists already outside our borders can fairly be assumed to have the right to reside in the place they currently live in.

  74. avatar
    Vicente Silva Tavares

    Yes. It is normal in most countries that people loose their nationality if they go to fight for another foreign army. On this case is even more urgent to deny their entry in Europe due to their acts of terrorism.

  75. avatar
    James Campbell

    Due process is important but current circumstances are quite close to wartime, when it comes to terrorism. In the UK, dangerous terrorists and rabble-rousers sometimes go through the legal system for years before deportation. No1 priority should be safeguarding our people. Lower down the list is due process for suspected terrorists. That may result in some injustices but we are not perfect.

  76. avatar
    Gio Cruz

    No. Whats next? Remove the citizenship of child rapists? If the person is born in Holland and has the Dutch nationality and goes to war elsewhere, he should be punished here, but removing the citizenship is absurd! (Its not gonna solve anything!)

  77. avatar
    Andrew

    Are we talking about dual nationals or single nationals?

    If dual nationals – ie people who are nationals of both an EU state and a non-EU state then yes, I think it’s a no-brainer that absolutely should be done. In fact, rather than stopping someone leaving the country if they want to join IS we should take away their passport and deport them!

    Single nationals are a different matter because of the real problem of statelessness. We should be very wary of making people stateless regardless of what they have done. Better to prosecute and jail them.

  78. avatar
    Victor Caballero

    Europe, as always, takes discussions slowly and late. After a thousand people die due to these fanatics, then maybe the UE will take some decision. Europe has to be aware that we have a very serious problem with ISIS.

    • avatar
      Rui Silva

      Agreed, extreme circumstances demand extreme measures. Pass the legislation that needs to be passed and just do it. Churchill (carpet bombing of Dresden) and Roosevelt (internment of Japanese Americans) were democrats who did what needed to be done to win WWII. They put the interests of their people first and were seen to do so. If today’s politically correct mainstream politicians insist on doing nothing, the likes of LePen will gather strength and it will be the end of the EU. Remember Brexit?

  79. avatar
    Dogaru Adrian

    who want’s to be charlie now :))..oh and since we are here..let’s take MORE refugees in Eu space…whitout background check and close surveillance…like Germany is doing

  80. avatar
    Ramsy

    Well they obviously are not traveling to Syria for the warm weather. The fact that it is so easy to travel to the Middle East and return to Western countries shows a total disregard for security. I agree with Mrs. Reicherts, that the issue of keeping western citizens from traveling to the Middle East in the first place is of vast importance. There must be a system in which one needs a government-issued permit to get permission to travel to the Middle East, so that we can better stop the training of radicals. We must treat this as a war. No one was allowed to travel to Nazi Germany during WWII, this situation can’t be treated any differently. Also, new laws need to be made concerning what is illegal in terms of terrorism. Any online activity, contact with terrorists or extremists, and other like offenses need to start resulting in fines, ankle bracelets, and jail time. Too many instances of terrorism have shown that the perpetrators have long showed their dangerous ties and intentions to radical Islam.

  81. avatar
    Moriss Mann

    Yes
    I Completely Agree if any EU Citizen Carry a GUN with other Non-EU Nation, Their Citizenship Must be Revoked and Removed including the chosen people of God.

  82. avatar
    vivi

    What is the money of Europe for?let these tickingbombs come back so taxpayers money will be well spent prosecuting and jailing them,or if not hiring more staff to monitor them 24/7 to make sure they are not up to something, now I think that is money well spent and very good way of life for Europeans

  83. avatar
    George Krysinski

    They’re trying to kill Europeans and your worrying about them becoming “stateless” poor idiots. Relax. Revoke their citizenship, send them back to Iraq or Syria where they were fighting and let ISIS issue them a state of ISIS passport! See. Problem solved. They now are not “stateless” anymore.

  84. avatar
    tracy

    In the the 1930s the US passed a Neutrality Act which made it illegal for US citizens to travel on the ship of a belligerent nation. The purpose was to keep the US out of war (e.g. avoid another Lusitania). At the time that law served a legitimate, perceived need. And, so today, there is no reason that the nations of the EU cannot pass laws which make it illegal to travel to Syria without a special travel document; and, as well make it illegal to travel back to an EU country from Syria. There is no need to prove motive or reason for the travel. The criminal conduct is crossing the borders. Each act of travel is a separate crime. Such laws serve a legitimate national purpose. Due process is satisfied.

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