More than 4,000 Europeans have joined the wars in Syria and Iraq. 14% are now believed to have died, but 30% have likely returned home – the majority going to Denmark, the UK, Germany, and Sweden.
Citizens travelling to fight in foreign conflicts is nothing new; many Europeans, including the English author George Orwell, fought in the Spanish civil war in the 1930s. And not all returning fighters are a security threat – some may have fought for groups allied with European governments against Islamic State, while others have grown disillusioned with what the fight represents and have renounced violence.
Nevertheless, security analysts warn that returning fighters pose a significant threat. Individuals could return with combat experience and training, determined to commit atrocities like the Paris or Brussels attacks.
How should European governments deal with returning fighters? We published an earlier debate asking whether the citizenship of Europeans who fight in Iraq and Syria should be stripped from them. One of the commenters in that debate, Gio, argued that it was better to allow them to return, and then prosecute them as European citizens:
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!)
To get a response, we spoke to Tore Hamming, an analyst on militant Islamism and CEO of MENA Analysis. What did he think should be done with young Europeans who travel to fight for terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria upon their return?
It’s a very big challenge for Western societies nowadays. I think it’s impossible just to make one rule that should be valid for everyone, because all cases are different. I think we should try as much as possible to integrate these people when they come back, but of course some people are not suitable for reintegration. So, it really depends on an individual analysis of the specific case.
For another perspective, we also spoke to Eva Entenmann, a Programme Manager at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), in the Hague. What would she say?
Where there is evidence they have committed crimes, they should be prosecuted in accordance with the rule of law. But I think where there is not enough evidence, or where charges have been dropped, or where people come back disillusioned and traumatised, there should also be a possibility to address their problems and deal with them in a rehabilitative way. So, for example, some people might need trauma counselling, some people might voluntarily sign up to de-radicalisation exit programme. I think there is a broad spectrum of tools we should use to deal with individuals who come back, in accordance with the rule of law.
Curious to know more about foreign fighters returning to Europe? We’ve put together some facts and figures in the infographic below (click for a bigger version).
Ultimately, however, dealing with returning foreign fighters is treating the symptom, not the cause. We had a comment sent in from Maia, asking how we can stop the spread of the poisonous ideology underpinning groups like Al-Qaeda and IS. She believes it’s not enough to try and rehabilitate or arrest people returning from fighting in Iraq and Syria, and that the propaganda being put out by terrorist organisations needs to be more effectively countered.
To get a response, we spoke to Tore Hamming, an analyst on militant Islamism and CEO of MENA Analysis. How would he respond to Maia?
For another perspective, we also spoke to Eva Entenmann, a Programme Manager at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), in the Hague. What would she say to Maia?
How can we convince people to stop fighting for terrorist groups? And what should happen to young Europeans who fight in Iraq and Syria upon their return? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below, and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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How should European governments deal with their proven ability to create foreign fighters?
How should European governments deal with their proven ability to create foreign fighters?
Send them back to Arab countries together with our priest , they can solve their own problems , religion is for peace.
Arrest them immediately and put them to forced labour.
They should be locked up until we can remove their citizenship and forcibly deport them to a muslim country. They knew exactly what they werde doing when they left so they must live with the consequences.
… forgive them. Explaining how wrong they were and putting them apart from their original families…
You can’t be serious!
.
End Schengen & send all those caught to Berlin & Brussels, why should anyone else suffer for the EU’s stupidity.
Who fought in Iraq and Syria. ?
It is the result & consequence of failed (western) diplomacy! It has to stop! One should turn the table & demand:
To send all scheming, dishonest, elitist & “democracy” loving politicians who either:
* championed or supported past & present regime changes, or
* aimed & aiming at global domination at any cost, spreading neocon democracy by intrique & force, or
* approved military actions (without a valid, or false, or manipulated UN mandate, or without a “legal” local invitation,
-back to these Muslim countries on a peace mission & diplomatic pilgrimage!
Conditions: to only return “triumphed” once local peace, local law & local order- according to prevailing Muslim- or whatever custom- has been restored. Further, to have successfully negotiated that all refugees in Europe be properly repatriated and financially compensated by the ruling & responsible clique & their banks, incl the US- without using taxpayers money!
As only protection they may carry their “wits” and the “Dove symbol” with them and are forbidden to return prematurely! The folks at home are quite capable to govern themselves so long. Don’t worry, they are not missed!
If unsuccessful- to be held accountable & charged for crimes against our diverse humanity by a global, International Court of Justice.
PS: no promotions and bonuses are applicable!
A painless death penalty. We shouldn’t be even paying these peoples’ expenses in prison. Sorry it’s harsh but we got to defend ourselves.
the ones that are known to be foreign fighters or that have traveled several times to particular countries without valid motivation shouldn’t be allowed to leave the native country and put under strict control in the first place…
End Schengen – it’s great in theory but bad in practice. The ‘founding fuhrers’ of the EU have much to answer for on this matter.
Make all countries (especially France and Belgium) more inclusive.
Make the censuses in each country collect info on one and all – such data could be used to provide insight and intervention into potentially troubling sub-communities.
Educate all sub-communities regarding the acceptability and unacceptability of their cultural practices in a Western context.
Make Imams licensed.
Encourage Westerners to learn about the good and the bad (slavery, sexual-relations-with-minors, misogyny, homophobia, racism, piracy etc etc) pertaining to Islam.
they should be arrested and but on trial for acts of terrorism and treason if they caught in their native country
With life imprisonment, of course.
Hand them to the Syrian and Iraqi governments. Their crimes have taken place in these countries therefore it is there where they should face trial and serve their time.
This is by far the best suggestion I’ve heard.
As well as fix the problem of our worst passport-holders ever returning; it proves our commitment to international justice better than allowing them to use said passports to shield themselves from the laws they violated.
Send them to hell. That’s what they wish for us.
Hang them all
Stripped of citizenship and imprisoned for information.
Shoot them
First of all, the justice system should have the call on every such individual. But, in order to be able to take measures in this kind of situations, the European law that regulates this domain should be unified through all the judicial systems across the continent and it should incriminate joining foreign armies or armed organizations other than those officially belonging to the european countries they are being citizen of and also any affiliation to certain parties identified by european authorities as criminal organizations abroad. The punishments should be very high also, but it should have effects on those that received the citizenship by choice, because these acts are incompatible with the condition of EU citizen.
rimandarli in Siria
We know where their allegiance lies. Refuse entry.
I think everyone knows the answer to the question but Political Correctness and Human Rights brigade will turn things round making these people the ones who are the victims
They are more than ‘fighters’ many have gone to join a very brutal terror group that has horrifically persecuted and murdered local civilians There are issues to address about those behind the group but calling them ‘fighters’ is hardly accurate Depending on how long they were there, some have been with this barbaric group for a long time
Torture and Death penalty !!!!!!
….Ricostituire gli APOLIDI d’Europa (o di Schengen)!!… BURN the PASSPORT!
Don’t let them back in its easy !!!
We should welcome them with open arms, give them a house to live in, give them access to medical care and education and forget they ever went to fight for some Islamic extremists so we don’t offend them, oh wait, we do that already.
Firing Squad!
I fronti non di esauriranno presto. Anzi di nuovi si apriranno spaventosi.
Questi mercenari guadagnano molto e si sposteranno
They are enemy soldiers shoot them
Very simple, not receiving them and stripping them from their citizenships/passports.
Shot them
Remove their citizenship and send them back.
it depends,if they were fighting on the side of the rebel army i would say a prize and statue would be not much to ask for.If they fight on Isis or Assad’s side…shot in the head
Remove their citizenship.
by studying the real Islam…
Exclude any right to entry and return them to country of departure. They will be safe and happy there and unable to do any damage to our citizens on our soilt.
They made the decisions to leave that decision is the only decision needed to be taken into account.
No return or death penalty !!!
Shot them or jail for the rest of their lives.
No Deal at all!
Don’t let them back. They are NOT British.
Put them on dinghies when the tides going out.
Shoot them
They should not allow them to return.
Burn their passport out.
Is that even a real question ??? Perhaps the US Sixth Army should invade Europe again and we have trials in Nuremberg with Merkel on the rooster ??? Can’t imagine the shock real people like Patton, Eisenhower, Montgomery etc… would have if they were to see this mess …
No return for traitors back you go
Killing them.
Don’t let them back let them be killed over there
Simple really …send them back and dont let them back into the Country ..but of course we cant …can we ??
Go out there stay out there!
They shouldn’t return.
Let’s not forget people, were part of the Europe at the moment, so we must tread on egg shells , so this is what will happen,👍one , they have to think of there human rights, two ,think of there family’s , three ,they may have children, four ,need i say any more 😀
Execute them for treason,oh hold on a bit didn’t bliar abolish the treason act to cover his own arse
Simple NO RETURN !!!!!
Prosecute them for war crimes
Execute them for treason
Hang Them!
Stick Tony Blair in with them when we do them for war crimes.
Don’t let them back……end of!!!
Fighters ? You mean rapist’s, murderers, beheaders , and future terrorists, no deal, they’re not wanted
Put them in jail
No return.
Firing Squad.
Confiscate their passports even better get them killed where they have gone to kill innocent people
No return I cannot believe that so called leaders of the west do not have the backbone to stop these murderers coming back they should? Hang there heads in shame
Hang them and every politician that wants to let them back
Don’t let them in. They’re trainers
Send them to the countries they have destroyed and let them deal with them as they see fit !!
Life in prison
Send them to Guantanamo….or St. Helen Island.
No return full stop !! If found in our country automatic 15 years jail
Don’t waste bullets,use 1 rope to kill them all,and make it public,great deterrent to other so called radicalised British Muslims.
They should be jailed. there should be laws in place that allow their incarceration.
Send them back ,they know that dickhead Cameron will leave them back in to claim benefits and plot to kill us let Orlando be an example
A “pseudo”question. It implies that terrorists went where they usually go and do what they are usually doing. The first who should be held responsible is the government. Wonder, why all these radicalized muslims (to be fair, all muslims should be included with no exception), are not under permanent surveillance 24/7/365 yet ?
There traitors execute them
Shoot them
Hang them for war crimes
Dont let them in
Like the Nazis in 1945.
Easy, send them back to where they came from qnd let them burn in hell
They should have been placed on the persona non grata list when they left and had their citizenship removed.
Don’t let them back in,simple.
England football fans???
Meathooks and chainsaws
They made a choice to go, invalidate their passport so they can’t just return, pass a law saying anyone joining in will also have family members parcelled up and sent after them, the invalidate their passports too!
need you ask
Shoot on sight
too late….
Execute them , get rid they are brainwashed damaged goods who will spread hatred and violence till they depart
The enemy’s friend is the enemy.
Why would you allow TERRORIST back into our Society,???? BEGGARS BELIEF
Put them on a ship then sink it
Send them back on the same plane they came in on, minus their British passports, then present their parents with the bill.
Don’t let um back in
They are the enemy kill them
Return them to the fight. Absolutely useless for anything else.
You know watcha gotta do but you ain’t gonna do it
At least your country is debating this.
Here these guys practically don’t exist. Another issue which is not addressed
Send them back!😉
Take their passports and send them back. OR execute them for murder.
Hi. Mr Hamming is correct – it is not just on the battlefield where peace will be won; I would ask though, who exactly is going to change them? The people whom Mr. Hamming is saying will be able to provide healthier options? A few points to remember here:
1. On the battlefield is the first place the battle needs to be won because innocent people, especially Christians, are being slaughtered.
2. The West helped to build many of the problems in the East so it is not ‘us and them’ but just ‘us’. The world is smaller. They are our neighbours, yes, even the very naughty ones.
3. Those in the East are deeply religious people, muslims included, and despite that fact that some of their customs leave a lot to be desired, they might well in turn think the same about ours. Because life in the Middle East can be a lot more brutal doesn’t mean they are stupid. So who exactly is going to teach them – a Europe that stands for what?
6. If muslim fighters come here then what are they going to be faced with: blanket atheism? This isn’t exactly going to fill in that hole that the West has helped make.
If you want to know what to do with foreign fighters: make them join the army as long-term national service, while we try to iron out the issues in the Middle East that we, the West, helped cause. Or send them to some of those schools in the U.S meant for rebellious teenagers. Make them meet the Jewish victims of their brutality and have them apologise – after quite some time in detention. Make them rebuild all the structures that they destroyed in the Middle East and be put on permanent community service in the Middle East for a very long duration to serve those whom they tortured and maimed. And killed.
Some ideas.
…as for missing points four and five, you can fill in the gaps – be imaginative!
Obviously we should be either shooting them as enemy combatants, or stripping citizenship and extraditing them BACK to Syria to face charges for their crimes (with a guarantee they will not come back).
What the advocates of ‘rehabilitation’ constantly fail to articulate;
1- why extremists voluntarily removing themselves from my country is even a BAD thing (as opposed to the best thing ever to happen to our countries in decades).
2- How extremists are somehow able to do MORE damage as untrained grunts pinned down in a distant war-zone than as sleeper agents in our country.
3- How the general public supposedly benefits from forking out for ‘rehabilitation’ for returnees, than not having to live with the returnees at all.
4- How any of the so-called benefits of them returning outweigh the tangible, long-term benefits of an extremist exodus.
5- How people returning, and REMAINING fanatical salafists, but losing their desire to leave my country (Aarhus), is a “success” at all- as opposed to a catastrophic failure?
6- How an extremist’s harsh feelings of resentment towards me from being trapped in Syria is worse than them having less-harsh feelings towards me while I have to interact with them in person in my own street?
It’s clear these advocates have no argument to stand on, and appear to have other motives they don’t want to share (often these ‘strategy think tanks’ put themselves forward for government funding to implement these ‘rehabilitation programs’- meaning these companies benefit even if their ‘programs’ are duds)
It’s clear they have
yes we have to know in order to fight back Isis in a more effective way
Firstly, I don’t understand how the US & NATO with billions in defence weapons and armies can’t beat a bunch of mercenaries. Secondly I don’t understand why the US & NATO can’t cut off ISIS’s money supply, sanction countries that buy oil from ISIS and sell then supplies and weapons and cut off routes for new merceneries joining ISIS. Thirdly I don’t understand why you don’t label ISIS as Wahabist extremists and tackle the Saudi sponsored Wahabism indoctrination within the EU. Fourthly mercenaries maybe enticed by the opportunity offered to mercenaries for violence and sexual abuse and that is the hardest to solve as they lack human values.
Firstly, I don’t understand how the US & NATO with billions in defence weapons and armies can’t beat a bunch of mercenaries. Secondly I don’t understand why the US & NATO can’t cut off ISIS’s money supply, sanction countries that buy oil from ISIS and sell then supplies and weapons and cut off routes for new merceneries joining ISIS. Thirdly I don’t understand why you don’t label ISIS as Wahabist extremists and tackle the Saudi sponsored Wahabism indoctrination within the EU. Fourthly mercenaries maybe enticed by the opportunity offered to mercenaries for violence and sexual abuse and that is the hardest to solve as they lack human values.
?
What the ones returning home?
Stop sending them ha ha.
you now have thousands of religious fanatics in Europe , the amount of ‘people’ going to fight in syria from france and other european countries shows how much of a mess this all is. you are now trying to fight an ideology and
fighting an ideology is much harder than simply keeping these religious fanatics and islam in general out of the continent …. dark ages ahead , only this time it’s islam not christianity .Adios Evropa
How to deal with returning terrorists ? simple answer: Guantanamo is waiting
Born here or not, these people are no longer to be considered Europeans or part of society. No second changes, at least not in any part of society.
Either
Take away pasport and nationality and drop them somewhere on an uninhabited island in the middle of the atlantic (even such doesn’t exist, create one)
or
Shoot them
The answer is obvious (and legal!)
Arrange an extradition treaty with Syria.
Any of our “nationals” who are or have been present in Syria during the conflict must be turned over to face justice in the Syrian courts.
If that happens to involve a 100% incarceration and execution rate, then even better.
Yes but no. I don’t pay taxes to support them living off of them.
Welcome them with social benefits like you did before and keep doing now…
Send them directly to prison with life sentences.
Kill them
They need to be handed to Iraq and Syria authorities and face death penalty.
Yes with 7,62 mm x 51 mm :)
Seek and destrooooooy
Why dont Europe deal with thier own people thiers allot of poeple that is full blood European’s living in countries south Africa thats getting killed at the moment because of their skin couler and the getting killed every day in huge numbers like 50 per day why don’t Europe make passport application for European’s that can proove thier European blood by thier family documents from their ancestors u will be surprised how many of our European poeple need us thats really belongs to Europe
Why dont Europe deal with thier own people thiers allot of poeple that is full blood European’s living in countries south Africa thats getting killed at the moment because of their skin couler and the getting killed every day in huge numbers like 50 per day why don’t Europe make passport application for European’s that can proove thier European blood by thier family documents from their ancestors u will be surprised how many of our European poeple need us thats really belongs to Europe
Why dont Europe deal with thier own people thiers allot of poeple that is full blood European’s living in countries south Africa thats getting killed at the moment because of their skin couler and the getting killed every day in huge numbers like 50 per day why don’t Europe make passport application for European’s that can proove thier European blood by thier family documents from their ancestors u will be surprised how many of our European poeple need us thats really belongs to Europe
Why dont Europe deal with thier own people thiers allot of poeple that is full blood European’s living in countries south Africa thats getting killed at the moment because of their skin couler and the getting killed every day in huge numbers like 50 per day why don’t Europe make passport application for European’s that can proove thier European blood by thier family documents from their ancestors u will be surprised how many of our European poeple need us thats really belongs to Europe
If possible, strip them of citizenship (many are dual-nationals) and repatriate them.
They committed treason and should be punished
As enemies of the state.
Well, I don’t know… What do you do with terrorists who killed, raped and tortured multiple people? Such a difficult question. Oh, I know! You give them benefits and ask them nicely not to do that again!
All I will inform you is to know is that they not the initial persons, they are now dangerous to everyone and everything around them, including any society they might have hail from. Though and counter action control is needed. They should be quarantined, treated like what they actually are. For those that can’t be rescued because they are too dangerous, should be killed before they kill the innocent societal citizens. They should not be spared.
“how we can stop the spread of the poisonous ideology underpinning groups like Al-Qaeda and IS.” This “poisonous ideology” is nothing but salafi islam, which is the mainstream branch of islam, the state religion of Saudi Arabia, rapidly spreading all over Europe.
International Court. They sell girls slaves in slavemarkets. Polytheists and Christians. 3000 girls are still missing. Crucified beheaded rape… and find their supporters
Don’t let them back, and if they do get in the should be charged with murder.
Charge them with terrorism and take them to court
prison?
Yeah
No return allowed
Not letting them come back.
Charge with terorism, strip of citizenship
No. Europe should absolutely not accept any kind of terrorists from ISIS back their countries, even if they are citizens. Those people have no respect for their countries of origin’s laws an principles so why should their home countries respect them and accept them back? Or they can come back, but should then face capital punishment for endangering the world society.
Interment or send them ,back to judgement in Syria or Iraq, they now how to deal with terrorists.
By killing them, they are all timebombs
Should all European or Us soldier be killed ? They are terrorist too.
No problem.The directives 91/477/EEC and L0853 keep us all safe.
What do they want now medals. Fine Plug them with as many medals as the chest can take.
Stupid question. Same treatment as any Soldier
Where are all soldiers who served in Iraq or Afganistan in an illegal dirty war. Are they prosecuted ? Nope so same treatment. They are terrorist too and a danger
You are stupid. The soldiers serve their country. And this served a mass murder cause, the islamic State.
And you are a ignorant idiot. Soldiers or any country who are stealing and robbing Natural sources are criminals , thugs and terrorist, and should get the same treatment however. Jihadi’s servers their countries namely recruited by Europe and US to fight Russians in Syria . Same happened in the 90. With the mujahadhin , al qaida or Taliban . All friends from Western countries. Stop talking About these things you dont know nothing about.
Btw. Islamic state….? 😂😂😂
Kill them all the way they killed others… cut the heads
But Merkel ans soros like them very much… more than they like us… so..
Send them all to Berlin, Merkel loves them.
They are treated as enemies of their country
How do you deal with terrorists?
They are terrorists, in Syria or here…but first of all they should abolish their nationalty if its european
Death penaltii
Jail and back to where they are from.
Jail and hard labour… they should pay their jail time with labour and not our money…. Ie planting trees in areas affected by fires….
They all have 2 citizenship and it is clear which one they have chosen.The European is an adquirid one and should be removed and stop them from entry to Europe. The EU must protect the security of Europeans first.
bullet in the head ?
Super tax them.
don’t let them ever enter EU grounds again…the day they went and joined the IS was the day they gave up their nationality with all its benefits!!!
Prove them wrong. Guarantee their rights and show that our values are not a façade, that we are indeed all equal under the law, that they are not being discriminated against, resocialize them. They will become our most effective weapon against terrorism by proving that the recruiter’s arguments are horseshit.
This assumes that not being discriminated against, equality under the last, and that respecting human rights is their top priority.
There’s a bunch of uneducated morons here forgetting that where “they come from” is France, England, Belgium, Germany etc… So “sending them back” is nothing more than the ranting lunacy of ignorant racists.
Brainwash them and send them back to sabotage extremist groups and promote peace in the middlw east
lock them up and theow away the key.
like someone is sick from a virus or infection.
Put them to jail for life
Machinegun them down and burry them in pig entrails, Patton-style
Kalashnikov!
I know that a lot emotions will run high here. But if we can look at this like a Machiavellian for a second, what we have here are enemy combatants of a defeated enemny, who have lots of valuable information, and who were recruited by the enemy, by means that we could find out about.
They are worth more alive than dead. They have valuable intelligence that needs to be extracted.’
remove citizenship, return flight to where they came from. And if entering, jail for terrorists.
hellfire missiles before they get here
Zwabić na duży statek – zatopić na środku Morza Śródziemnego. Jeśli nie – odstrzelić indywidualnie co do jednego!!!
If they were born in a european country, there isn’t much they can do … Especially if they haven’t done anything wrong on the territory of their birth country !
But if they are foreign residents or acquired the citizenship over time, then that residency permit or citizenship should be removed and deported back to their country of origin.
Charge them with treason
If this question has to be asked, we are lost.
execute them
Let the local authorities deal with them after all they still on their territory but no entry in the EU.
Deny entry. Next victims will be us. They can go to Saudi Arabia.
Shoot them on spot!
Jail.
Deport
Bruxells Dictatorship 100% guilty
EU will end as been demoniac.
EU is doomed in europe. no place for EU in europe
Europe will rise, EU will fall on darkness.
Visgard is futur for Europe, EU was demoniac in europe, we europeans dislike the EU ,we want Visgard and join hungary and poland.
Death penalty.
NO RETURN!
Hi,
My name is Marine, I am currently writing my master thesis about children and terrorism. One part of my thesis will be focused on the right of these children to come back to Europe, and what the International or European law is doing about that. What I understood is that currently children are allow to go back to their European country from where they have the nationality. There, few institution are present to really help them. It is obvious that these children have been raised in violent area and will not have the same codes and behaviour than majority of European children. I think we can all agree about the inefficiency of current state’s institution to fight against the spread of ISIS in Europe. So, according to you, what is necessary to implement, in our society, to efficiently reduce the risk from this children to become actual terrorist in Europe ? I completely agree that ISIS’s ideology is our first enemy, and Eva Entenmann said that it is important to bring a positive message of our countries, an united and stable message (I guess) or isn’t it the opposite of our democracy regime?