Returning European jihadis could be used to counter ISIS

The EU’s senior counter-terrorism official, Gilles de Kerchove, has said that some of those jihadis returning from Iraq and Syria could be co-opted to talk about their experiences. He argued that those who did not have “blood on their hands” could help to provide a strong, credible voice to help counter terrorism. De Kerchove went on to say: “They can explain what they have experienced, that they thought they were joining a nice idea of the caliphate but encountered people sexually abusing others, or being violent.” He argued against the blanket criminalisation of those returning from the region, calling for countries to use a more sophisticated strategy, including rehabilitation. It is estimated that 30k people have travelled to Iraq and Syria to join ISIS and other groups, with around 20-30% subsequently returning to their home countries.

Fighters returning to their home countries from Syria and Iraq should be recruited to talk publicly about their experiences, the EU’s senior counter-terrorism official has urged.

Gilles de Kerchove said that in cases where they were not considered a threat, such people could be used by governments to reveal details of the brutal conditions within the so-called caliphate of Islamic State (Isis) or other rebel groups.

“Some returnees who don’t have ‘blood on their hands’ are a strong credible voice for counter-narrative purposes,” he said. “They can explain what they have experienced, that they thought they were joining a nice idea of the caliphate but encountered people sexually abusing others, or being violent.”

He added that a blanket criminalisation of all individuals returning from Syria and Iraq was unproductive and urged countries to develop more sophisticated strategies to deal with those returning home.

It is estimated that around 30,000 people from 100 countries have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Isis and other extremist groups. More than 800 individuals have travelled from the UK to fight – around half of whom are believed to have since returned.

Overall, 20%-30% of foreign fighters have returned to their home countries, and this creates major challenges for domestic security agencies, given Isis’s stated aim of carrying out further attacks in Europe.

The three suicide bombers who killed 32 people at Brussels international airport and the Maelbeek metro station last month had all returned from Syria. Last Friday, British police arrested five people – including four in Birmingham – over suspected UK links to the terrorists who attacked Paris in November 2015 and Brussels last month.

Despite the heightened terror threat, De Kerchove warned that prosecuting all returnees was counterproductive and said “a menu of options” was required, catering for both hardened fighters and those who had embarked for possible war, only to return traumatised.

“If there is no evidence that they are an active jihadi – for instance, they crossed the border and spent a week with the organisation but were really just washing dishes, a fourth-rank footsoldier, then saw people beheaded and rushed to leave, saying, ‘I made a big mistake’ – is it really worth putting them on the trail that leads to prison?

“Prisons are major incubators of radicalisation. Therefore, if you can avoid prison for those who do not have blood on their hands and are genuinely ready to engage in a rehabilitation programme, why don’t we try alternatives?”

De Kerchove criticised Belgium’s approach to foreign fighters as too blunt. It is reportedly the EU country with the highest proportion of citizens leaving to fight in Syria and Iraq. “Belgium has no alternative to prosecution and prison in place,” he said. “The government is trying to develop a de-radicalisation policy in prison, but they don’t have one. I am strongly in favour of the member states who have quite a high number of returnees developing a rehabilitation programme.”

Belgium’s widely criticised handling of its terror threat was highlighted again on Friday when its transport minister resigned following accusations that she had covered up a failure to act on a report warning of security flaws at the country’s airports.

Another area prompting concern among counter-terrorism experts is the speed with which European countries can obtain online evidence. Such evidence is often held by American technology companies and falls under US law. De Kerchove said the EU was trying to establish a system that would make it easier and more efficient for British authorities to get hold of online data relating to suspects.

“We are working hard to smooth and speed up the way we get access to an evidence store,” he said. “One of the problems is that we have to go through a mutual legal assistance request. These requests are slow and cumbersome, and we have to abide by US law.

“For me the location of the data should be irrelevant. We should have a mechanism by which the internet companies provide us with the information based on EU law, directly and easily.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “Decisions on people who return from Syria and Iraq are taken on a case-by-case basis. Some may have been exposed to traumatic experiences.”