Kill them or bring them back alive: politicians are divided

POLITICIANS have long been divided over the question of what to do with British jihadists returning to the UK.

Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, faced criticism when he said British jihadists should be “hunted down” and killed.

No British terrorists “should ever be allowed back into this country”, Mr Williamson said in 2017. “Quite simply, my view is [that] a dead terrorist can’t cause any harm to Britain.

“We have got to make sure that as [they] splinter and as they disperse across Iraq and Syria and other areas, we continue to hunt them down. Make sure there is no safe space for them.”

Mr Williamson’s comments were described as “juvenile” by Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, a former director of public prosecutions. “We can’t simply say that everyone who has gone to Iraq will now be hunted down and killed,” he said. “It’s not a serious, grown-up policy response for a senior British government minister.”

Max Hill QC, the director of public prosecutions, also warned against Mr Williamson’s approach.

“Really we should be looking towards reintegration, and moving away from any notion that we are going to lose a generation to this travel,” he said.

Theresa May has been clear that British jihadists returning to the UK face the prospect of being prosecuted.

“Last year the Home Office announced plans that British jihadists returning from Syria could face 10 years in prison.

Speaking at the time, Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, said: “Those who travel abroad to fight in terrorist conflicts pose a threat to us all and need to be stopped.”