Lots of nations are agonising over what to do with citizens who joined ISIS or other terrorist groups and now want to come home. Some say they should and should be charged or ‘deprogrammed’. Others want them to stay away.
Evidence in terrorism cases is proving difficult to find, while experts warn that the reintegration and rehabilitation of foreign fighters is an even greater challenge.
Listen to this latest Quick Hits podcast to see where Borealis stands on this issue.
Leave your thoughts and comments below!
2 replies on “What to do with citizens who joined ISIS and now want to come home?”
Agree with your comment and perspective except for the “unfit parents of foreign fighters” … Not all parents ate aware of what their kids (young adults) are doing in their rooms while surfing on the net. In fact, some are very surprised to know after the fact that their kids left Canada without their knowledge to join terrorist groups.
You know as well as I that when a young determined influencible child can easily hide their state of mind to their patents or at best challenge their parents on their views. Without generalizing, I would say that some now became “grand-parents” could in fact raise the child of a foreign fighter now that “they know better”
On the other hand, and this is my opinion, unless Canada has a legal and unconditional obligation to repatriate children born in foreign countries from one Canadian citizen, do we really really want the children of these foreign fighter. The child potentially born from parents of mixed citizenship will more likely de facto have the Syrian or other country citizenship also. (that is if that country recognizes the birth of a child from an enemy born within its border). Further, an adopted child will, very often, seek at one point to find his or her origin mixed with feelings of unconditional love. Some of these kids might, later in life, imitate the actions of their parents coped with a desire of rebellion against a country that “excommunicated their true patents”.
They poorly choose, their decision not mine. Live with it.
Thanks for taking the time to comment Pierre. What I meant, and perhaps it was not clear, is that any adult who took a child into ISIS is by defintion an unfit parent and should not be allowed to keep their children. As far as I am aware, Canada has no obligation to repatriate anyone but cannot deny entry to citizens. Take care!