Every time when ISIS is defeated on the battlefield thins Stroy of foreign fighters of the Caliphate. Experts estimate that more than 40,000 foreigners in recent years have joined ISIS in Syria or Iraq. 2014, and especially after the fall of Raqqa and Mosul, at least 5600 men, women and children from 33 countries have returned home, according to the latest report from the Soufan Center «outside of the Caliphate: foreign fighters and the threat of return». It is difficult to assess the scale of the threat posed by returnees. But the countries to which return of ex-ISIS militants have to adopt a strategy for the treatment of such citizens.
The French Parliament has approved a controversial national security bill last month to expand the powers of the state to combat terrorism. The new law will simplify the issuance of orders to conduct searches and provide temporary closure of places of religious worship that is promoting hatred and violence.
A number of countries, including Israel, Australia and Bahrain, withdrew citizenship have decided to become fighters for ISIS.
In Russia and Uzbekistan imposes harsh penalties, designed to give the recruits of ISIS to come back.
To some extent, these measures operate as foreign fighters of ISIS are less likely to want to return to their countries if they are waiting for there is a harsh punishment.
The officials discussed the question of whether it is possible to use the returnees to information and propaganda to convince others not to join the terrorists. But this discussion stopped after the November terrorist attacks of 2015 in Paris. The reaction of the Europeans who followed, contributed to the stigmatization of Muslims in Europe that exacerbated the already difficult situation.
German authorities have published a monthly analysis of the returns of the Islamic state last year, which stated that most of the soldiers returned at an early stage in 2013 and 2014 respectively, the authorities had years to find ways either to punish or to reintegrate those persons. If immigrants feel their isolation in society, they become easy targets for recruiters of ISIS, creating the threat of «homegrown terrorism».
Public statements about the need to destroy the ex-fighters physically, according to Richard Barrett, senior adviser to the Center Suphan hardly benefit under the circumstances.
Soufan Center
