Why are government and the authorities so intent on having jihadi males and females that have left for Syria arrested when they are almost there, and bringing them back to the UK to stand trial for terrorism offences? It seems like a dickhead policy to me, when if they left them where they want to be, they may never get the opportunity to come back, be convicted, banged up and then supported by the State.
Good point. There appears to be some muddled thinking going on. Not many years ago, when UK authorities were trying to deal with terrorist threats (like Abu Qatada, Abu Hamza, and many more) the whole thrust was trying to get rid of them. The objective was to get them to depart from the UK by means of extradition, deportation, voluntary departure, or whatever. They were detained or subject to control orders only pending their much-hoped-for departure. Now there has been a sudden unannounced U-turn so that the objective is to stop them leaving the UK, or secure their return; the thrust now is about trying to keep them here. Teresa May really has not thought this through, has she?
Because the U.K,"Authorities", can't possibly give people the freedom to choose their own destiny... They will allow you to go and fight in a far-off Foreign land,as long as those, "Authorities" get to choose where and for what cause...even if the cause is of very dubious benefit to the man on the Clapham Omnibus,(who will be forced to pay for these dodgy military excursions,naturally).
I think there is a difference between high profile "leaders" such as Abu Qatada and Abu Hamza and some unknown teenagers. Abu Qatada and Abu Hamza were radicalising young muslims and as such were contributing to the overall problem, sending them elsewhere (preferably Jordan) sounds like a good idea. It could be argued that intercepting young British muslims en route to Syria is better than allowing them to reach Syria and aquire skills that they could then bring back to cause mayhem here.
In principle I don't disagree however some of these are confused kids labouring under the delusion that they are doing the right thing. Do they deserve to be kicked out of the country forever because they allowed themselves to be brainwashed? Especially if they can be returned before they are exposed to the horrors they will see out there.
I don`t think these are confused kids. They will have seen and read much about ISIS, no doubt including the horrific execution scenes, and decided that this is the organisation to join. It is not like being 15 and nicking sweets from your local corner shop is it. I can`t imagine they will ever contribute anything positive to our society so I suppose the best course of action is the one that allows them to do the least harm to the UK.Personally I would have let them go and then try to ensure they never come back .
Furthermore , they will even pay you to go and fight in a far off foreign lands, creating mayhem and a theatre / base for " terrorist " groups and then fund cival wars and instability ., aye , strange old world we live in .
The three boys that were stopped on their way to Syria, having got them back to the UK, they have now been released on bail.......... Well, F-me........who would have thought it?
F'ing insanity, that's what it is. Good job terrorism isn't a real threat or the authorities would need to start taking it seriously.
Quite. In what universe is it better to have these guys wandering around the UK at liberty rather than fighting in Syria? How can the Home Office have got to a position where this is regarded as a desirable objective?
We don't hear that much about the "others" watched an interview on the news the other day. An investment banker was so moved by the IS atrocities that he went and joined the other side to fight IS. Personally I take my hat off too him. What will happen to him when he returns to the UK I wonder. Will he be allowed to slip quietly back? Will he be safe from all those Jihadists in this country
I saw that report. I thought a government spokesman (I forget who) was quoted as saying that while they couldn't condone such a course, no action would be taken against civilian volunteers who went to join the fight against ISIS. Is it just my imagination or do the Peshmerga (who the investment banker has gone to fight with) when you see them on TV look like ordinary decent well-adjusted people, in marked contrast to the religion-crazed nutters we usually see from that region?
Interestingly, the Peshmerga are Kurdish, and as such are mainly Muslims themselves I think. They have certainly been allies of the US and NATO in the past, and whatever else is said about the Iraq war, I think that the Iraqi Kurds ended up in a better situation than before, having been victimised by Saddam's regime. Boris Johnson has his own angle on the question of going to fight against ISIS: Sign me up to fight Islamic State’s demolition of the past - Telegraph
I don't actually agree with this. I think that the people who go and fight for ISIS are not a million miles away from those who join the Moonies, or the Scientologists. The results may be different, but the mechanism is broadly similar. The people targeted are vulnerable (fools) who are seeking a black and white view of the world, something to adhere to. Some people remain lifelong adherents, some don't. An example of the latter is the founder of the anti-terrorist Quilliam Foundation, Maajid Nawaz who was an extremist when younger. I think it's the Saudis who have a de-brainwashing programme for jihadis, but if you told me it was the Egyptians, I'd believe you. This to me seems to be the most interesting course of action. Locking people up with another load of radicals isn't going to solve anything much, apart from keeping them off the streets for a while, but come the day, they will have to be let out - and then they will be very dangerous. Don't feel that the above means I have any sympathy with jihadis. I don't. But deprogramming them, if you can, is about the best outcome you can hope for.
Are you saying, Glid, that 15 year old 'UK citizens' don't know what is wrong with decapitating a live hostage?
Are you saying that a 15 year old really knows what they want? I certainly didn't at 15... also have you seen the propaganda being put out by the pro is groups on social media? Photos of families supposedly killed by errant bombs, of dead children killed by the 'infidels'. It wouldn't take too much of that to sway the weak minded. Should someone be punished for being brainwashed by this?
