Labour leader and allies voted to allow return of jihadists
JEREMY CORBYN and his most senior allies voted to allow Isil fighters to return to the UK and the Labour leader claimed those who support Isil should not be prosecuted “for expressing a point of view”, it has emerged.
Mr Corbyn made the remarks during a parliamentary debate in 2014 when he claimed that holding a view on terrorist groups, no matter how distasteful, is not in itself an offence.
The party leader, his shadow chancellor John Mcdonnell and the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, all voted against giving the Government powers to prevent Britons from coming home if they have spent time fighting for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) and could pose a threat to the country.
The Bill would have given ministers the power to remove the passports of those who could do harm and stated the power could be used if the Secretary of State was satisfied the citizen had “conducted him or herself in a manner which is seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the United Kingdom”.
Footage from 2013 shows the Labour leader called drone strikes against Isil fighters “an obscenity” and in 2015 he questioned whether the action taken against Jihadi John, the terrorist who beheaded people on video, was legal.
Mr Corbyn has in the past proudly stated his opposition to counter-terrorism measures which require extra security powers in Parliament.
Asked by a Conservative MP in 2014 if he believed Isil fighters should be subject to special measures when they return to Britain, Mr Corbyn suggested they should not be prosecuted for “expressing a political point of view”. He said: “I have no support for Isis whatsoever, and obviously that should apply to someone who has committed crimes, but we should bear in mind that expressing a political point of view is not in itself an offence”.
He went on: “The commission of a criminal act is clearly a different matter, but expressing a point of view, even an unpalatable one, is sometimes quite important in a democracy.”
Mr Corbyn said he had “no truck with those who commit those barbaric acts”, but urged the then home secretary, Theresa May, not to create further “legal obstacles” for those fighters entering Britain. Of an estimated 850 British men and women who have left to go to Iraq and Syria, about 130 are thought to have been killed and nearly 350 have returned to the UK.
Ben Wallace, the security minister, said: “Jeremy Corbyn cannot hide from his record of consistently opposing the powers the police and security services need to keep the United Kingdom safe. The police should not have to secondguess whether they should pull the trigger against a threat to the public.
“For 30 years Corbyn has put his support for Britain’s opponents ahead of national security, yet four days before polling day he cynically wants to fool voters into thinking he will keep Britain safe.”
Meanwhile, Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott suffered another embarrassing television interview last night, struggling to recall the recommendations of the Lord Harris report on improving London’s ability to respond to a terrorist attack.