Danish politicians defy Trump by rejecting return of Isis fighters
Denmark’s three largest political parties have said they do not want to accept the return of citizens who have travelled to Syria to fight for the Islamic State (Isis) terror group.
The Social Democrats, Danish People’s Party and the Liberal (Venstre) party have all ruled out accepting the return of Danish Isis fighters after US president Donald Trump called for European countries to take back the around 800 Isis fighters captured in Syria and put them on trial.
“This will not happen for as long as we have any say. They (the fighters, ed.) have long since wasted their Danish citizenships. They are no longer Danish in my eyes,” Søren Espersen, foreign policy spokesperson with the nationalist Danish People’s Party, said.
A similar sentiment was expressed by Michael Aastrup Jensen, foreign policy spokesperson with the Liberal party.
“These are some of the most dangerous people in the world, and we don’t want them back,” Jensen said.
Social Democrat justice spokesperson Trine Bramsen also rejected Trump’s call for Isis fighters to be taken back by Denmark. Militants should be put on trial locally, Bramsen said.
“Denmark’s job is to assist with the establishment of a legal system and prison service locally, and these people must then serve their punishments in the countries where they have committed crimes,” she said.
Jensen also raised the option of revoking citizenship.
“Other European countries have had experience with revoking citizenship from these people in absentia. I think that is an interesting option,” he said.
Trump’s call to European allies came as the final Isis-held town looked likely to fall.
“The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 Isis fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial. The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them,” the US president tweeted, adding that the US did not want the fighters to then “permeate Europe”.
Some EU countries, notably France, have said they are preparing to take back citizens who have fought for Isis, international media have reported.
The most recent terror assessment made by Danish intelligence service PET notes that, since the summer of 2012, 150 people have travelled from Denmark to Syria or Iraq to join with militant Islamist groups.
Although the actual figure may be higher, it is considered to have decreased since 2014, with very few people making the journey in more recent years.
READ ALSO: Denmark may have to accept return of Isis militants: report
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The Social Democrats, Danish People’s Party and the Liberal (Venstre) party have all ruled out accepting the return of Danish Isis fighters after US president Donald Trump called for European countries to take back the around 800 Isis fighters captured in Syria and put them on trial.
“This will not happen for as long as we have any say. They (the fighters, ed.) have long since wasted their Danish citizenships. They are no longer Danish in my eyes,” Søren Espersen, foreign policy spokesperson with the nationalist Danish People’s Party, said.
A similar sentiment was expressed by Michael Aastrup Jensen, foreign policy spokesperson with the Liberal party.
“These are some of the most dangerous people in the world, and we don’t want them back,” Jensen said.
Social Democrat justice spokesperson Trine Bramsen also rejected Trump’s call for Isis fighters to be taken back by Denmark. Militants should be put on trial locally, Bramsen said.
“Denmark’s job is to assist with the establishment of a legal system and prison service locally, and these people must then serve their punishments in the countries where they have committed crimes,” she said.
Jensen also raised the option of revoking citizenship.
“Other European countries have had experience with revoking citizenship from these people in absentia. I think that is an interesting option,” he said.
Trump’s call to European allies came as the final Isis-held town looked likely to fall.
“The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 Isis fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial. The Caliphate is ready to fall. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them,” the US president tweeted, adding that the US did not want the fighters to then “permeate Europe”.
Some EU countries, notably France, have said they are preparing to take back citizens who have fought for Isis, international media have reported.
The most recent terror assessment made by Danish intelligence service PET notes that, since the summer of 2012, 150 people have travelled from Denmark to Syria or Iraq to join with militant Islamist groups.
Although the actual figure may be higher, it is considered to have decreased since 2014, with very few people making the journey in more recent years.
READ ALSO: Denmark may have to accept return of Isis militants: report
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