Letters | 13 December 2017

Returning jihadis

Sir: Coping with those who pose a terrorist threat to the UK but cannot be prosecuted for a criminal offence has been a perennial problem since 9/11 (‘Bring jihadis to justice’, 9 December). Despite various initiatives, the number of potential attackers has continued to grow.

The latest twist to this story is the return of jihadists to the UK from Syria and Iraq. We should assume that anyone returning from Isis-held territory in Syria/Iraq poses a continuing risk. Wherever possible they should be prosecuted. But criminal cases are hard to build, given the fog of war and the problems of gathering evidence from Isis-controlled territory. I propose, therefore, that those who claim to have repented of their extremist views and who want to return to the UK should be expected to demonstrate their change of heart by giving a full and detailed intelligence debrief to the security services, and by giving evidence in court against their erstwhile colleagues in Isis.