US warns Europe over Syrian fighters

[webfact]

Eric Holder of US warns Europe over Syrian fighters

WASHINGTON: -- The US attorney general has called on European governments to be stronger in preventing their own citizens from joining the fighting in Syria.

Eric Holder said the Syrian conflict had turned into "a cradle of violent extremism" that could threaten Western countries when fighters return home.

He made his remarks during a speech for Norwegian diplomats in Oslo.

US officials believes there are about 7,000 foreign fighters in Syria, including dozens of Americans.

In May, a 22-year-old man from Florida carried out a suicide bombing mission in the country.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28214709


-- BBC 2014-07-09

[lostsoul49]

Anyone even mentioning jihad in western lands should be given life in prison.

[Chicog]

"Please stop letting your citizens fly to Syria to join the insurrection we support".

Er........

[wabothai]

Can't stop them from going, but can stop them from coming back.

[khunken]

Can't stop them from going, but can stop them from coming back.

Methinks many won't be coming back anyway.

[Bpuumike]

Can't stop them from going, but can stop them from coming back.

Methinks many won't be coming back anyway.

KIA would be nice poetic justice but there will be returnees.

Obama putting his oar in as usual.

[rickirs]

Well, as long as American citizens engage in suicide bombings, that's okay. They'll just come back in a shoe box.

[Jizzlam]

"Eric Holder said the Syrian conflict had turned into "a cradle of violent extremism" that could threaten Western countries when fighters return home."

Then pass a law to prevent these Pigs from supporting any armed conflicts worldwide and if they sneak out then don't let them back into the country's they call home. .

Cancel their Passports and make them stateless...

Confiscate their assets and use the proceeds to fund additional control of the borders against illegal immigrants.

In fact revoke their right to stay in the US or UK/EU or anywhere they care to call call home and arrest them as illegal immigrants at the borders.

Its as simple as that.

[transam]

Nutters will always do what they want one way or another, if not abroad perhaps at home...........

[Thongkorn]

In Britain they can come back , they have a right to a family life, So the EU tell us, then they can freely walk around with the other mass murderers we cannot deport. But if you dont pay your parking ticket or TV licence you get put in Jail.

[MJP]

In Britain they can come back , they have a right to a family life, So the EU tell us, then they can freely walk around with the other mass murderers we cannot deport. But if you dont pay your parking ticket or TV licence you get put in Jail.

The UK is upside down and back to front.

[englishoak]

In Britain they can come back , they have a right to a family life, So the EU tell us, then they can freely walk around with the other mass murderers we cannot deport. But if you dont pay your parking ticket or TV licence you get put in Jail.

The UK is upside down and back to front.

No its civilised, it isnt Thailand and it upholds its laws, even the ones that are inconvenient when it means some unsavoury characters get to hide behind them. Laws have to be upheld for everyone, thats how laws work in the UK. But they can be ammended and new ones added... and thats exactly what is happening and happened already.

Regarding those returning from Syria this now is being dealt with and has been for some time. People returning are not immune any more.

January 25 2014 This month 16 people have been arrested on suspicion of terror offences after travelling between Syria and the UK. This compares with 24 in the whole of 2013.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25893040

March 14 2014 More than half of MI5’s anti-terror investigations involve Britons who have travelled to fight in Syria, highlighting the growing security threat posed. UK police have made a spate of Syria-related arrests in recent weeks. Four people were taken into custody on Tuesday. At the end of February, Moazzam Begg, a former Guantánamo detainee, was arrested in Birmingham on suspicion of attending a terrorist training camp in Syria.

UK authorities have significantly increased their use of legal powers to strip extremist content from the web.The government’s counter-terrorism internet referral unit has authorised 8,000 “takedowns” of content in the past eight weeks alone. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/708967e0-aa10-11e3-8bd6-00144feab7de.html#axzz376IlMKgV

April 24 2014 According to the police, the number of British citizens detained after returning to the UK from Syria has risen in recent months. Around 40 people were detained in the first three months of 2014, compared to 24 in the whole of 2013.http://www.aawsat.net/2014/04/article55331570

June 4 2014 British citizens returning from fighting in Syria face life in jail under new law treating terrorism abroad as if it were committed on British soil

The Serious Crime Bill will allow prosecutions for acts of terror overseas as if they took place in the UK

The government has warned against any travel to Syria and ministers have the power to strip suspects of their passport or their right to stay in the UK

The UK has lately seen a number of convictions of citizens who traveled to Syria. It began two weeks ago with Mashudur Choudhury, who was convicted of preparing for acts of terrorism in a foreign country. It was argued he aimed to join Al-Qaeda-inspired rebels fighting in Syria. The evidence was largely taken from his social media. Choudhury’s conviction has since been followed by two more on similar charges. Approx 400 Britons are suspected of taking part in the Syrian conflict,

The Serious Crime Bill also includes a anti-mafia law to prosecute lawyers, accountants and couriers who work for crime lords but currently 'keep their hands clean'. Paedophiles who download manuals on how to groom their victims are to be treated like terrorists who possess bomb making guides under a new offence of 'possessing paedophile manuals'. There will also be tougher laws to tackle sexual exploitation and female genital mutilation.

Other steps are being taken and revoking passports freezing of bank accounts and assets and even citizenship is under consideration and a very real option now.

The UK is taking things very seriously and are taking steps accordingly. You need to keep yourselves informed better.

Edited July 10, 2014 by englishoak

[Chicog]

Not everyone who goes to Syria is going to fight. There are medical and other aid workers, too, trying to help the innocent victims in this conflict, which let's not forget the US is promoting. Some common sense is required, not kneejerk reaction.

[Scott]

Not everyone who goes to Syria is going to fight. There are medical and other aid workers, too, trying to help the innocent victims in this conflict, which let's not forget the US is promoting. Some common sense is required, not kneejerk reaction.

Countries can invalidate their passports for a particular country. The Philippines passports are invalid for Iraq, for example.

Citizens who have a legitimate and legal reason for being in a country can have their passport endorsed for an otherwise invalid country.

Have any of the European countries invalidated Syria as a destination country and how do they deal with people who are legitimately in the country. Surely, the people who were involved with the poison gas chemicals were in the country legally. Any gov't official working engaged in a variety of diplomatic pursuits are going to need to be in the country legally.

How do European countries handle this?

[sustento]

Not everyone who goes to Syria is going to fight. There are medical and other aid workers, too, trying to help the innocent victims in this conflict, which let's not forget the US is promoting. Some common sense is required, not kneejerk reaction.

Countries can invalidate their passports for a particular country. The Philippines passports are invalid for Iraq, for example.

I don't believe that UK passports have ever been invalidated for specific countries.The view that's taken is that if you are entitled to a British passport you can go anywhere that will let you in.

[MikeOboe57]

Not everyone who goes to Syria is going to fight. There are medical and other aid workers, too, trying to help the innocent victims in this conflict, which let's not forget the US is promoting. Some common sense is required, not kneejerk reaction.

Countries can invalidate their passports for a particular country. The Philippines passports are invalid for Iraq, for example.

Citizens who have a legitimate and legal reason for being in a country can have their passport endorsed for an otherwise invalid country.

Have any of the European countries invalidated Syria as a destination country and how do they deal with people who are legitimately in the country. Surely, the people who were involved with the poison gas chemicals were in the country legally. Any gov't official working engaged in a variety of diplomatic pursuits are going to need to be in the country legally.

How do European countries handle this?

Depending which side you intend to fight on you travel either to Ankara, Turkey or Beirut, Lebanon. And if you are smart and don´t want to play dumb cannon fodder I would recommend Amman, Jordan to pick up some special forces training courtesy of the US taxpayer. Although these avenues are not the quickest way to join the fray your friends will make sure that your holiday in Syria does not leave a stamp in your passport.