Trump: Take in jihadi fighters or US will have to free them
DONALD Trump is urging the UK and Europe take back and put on trial more than 800 foreign Islamic State fighters captured in Syria by the US.
The US President tweeted: “The Caliphate is ready to fall.
“The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them. The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go.
“We do so much and spend so much. Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing.
“We are pulling back after 100% Caliphate victory!”
As its height, IS had an estimated 25,000 foreign fighters. The 800 jihadis Trump referred to include British, Belgium, Danish, French, Swedish, Austrian, Dutch and Russian fighters.
Some 900 British citizens have left the UK to join the terror group over the past seven years.
The Us-backed Syrian Democratic Forces is mounting an offensive on IS’S last enclave, the small town of Baghouz Al-fawqani in eastern Syria. At its
height, IS controlled an area the size of Britain, ruling 10 million people.
Ex Chief of General Staff Lord Dannatt said: “Taking responsibility means that we bring them back, we talk to them, we investigate them, and if there are charges that could properly be laid against them then that should be the case and they should be put through the judicial process and punished accordingly. It’s important that we do treat these people fairly… How we treat them will be seen by other minority populations in our country and that will affect how they behave in the future.”
On Friday, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said Britain will “not hesitate” to prevent the return of IS fighters to the UK, but those who make it back will be investigated and may be prosecuted. He said the safety and security of the UK was his priority and there are powers to deprive people of their British citizenship or keep them out.
“We closely monitor any returnees who pose a risk and new terror legislation passed this week allows us to make travelling to certain designated regions an offence.”