Rudd: Isil ‘Beatles’ should be tried outside the UK

UP TO 100 Britons fighting for Isil may return to the UK, a senior counter-terrorism officer has disclosed, as the Home Secretary signalled two accused of being in the militants’ Beatles execution squad should not be tried in Britain.

Neil Basu, deputy assistant commissioner, said authorities are “absolutely waiting” for any militants who try to come back after living under Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil).

Security services estimate that around 300 individuals who travelled from the UK to take part in the conflict in Syria and Iraq remain in the region.

In an interview, Mr Basu said: “We operate on the principle that we don’t want you back, and therefore we will deprive you of your British passport.”

Amber Rudd, meanwhile, said she

‘We don’t want you back and we will deprive you of your British passport’

would “put security first” as she insisted there were alternatives to bringing the two so-called “Beatles” back to face justice in the UK.

♦ A British man has appeared in court accused of terror offences for travelling to Syria to fight Isil.

Aidan James, 27, is said to have travelled to Syria and Iraq to battle Isil with the Kurdish forces. He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on March 1.