Britain must learn from France’s approach to jihadis

Gavin Williamson, Britain’s defence secretary, and Florence Parly, minister of the French armed forces, share the same opinion, that it would be in their countries’ best interests if their jihadists never set foot on their soil again. The Defence Secretary has said of two captured members of the Isis gang dubbed ‘The Beatles’: ‘I don’t think they should ever set foot in this country again’; while France’s armed forces minister said recently that her country’s jihadists ‘have shown no mercy so I don’t see why we should show them any’.

Few in France disagree with Parly’s comments, except the jihadists themselves, who have suddenly become all contrite after years of nothing but contempt for their country. One such example is Émilie König, a 33-year convert from Brittany, an alleged Isis recruiter, who also reportedly called on jihadists to kill the wives of French soldiers. Since she fell into the hands of the Kurds, König has reassessed her life.