TerrorismU.K. prepared to assist disillusioned Jihadists returning from Syria

Published 3 November 2014

William Hague, former British foreign secretary, said that British jihadists returning to the United Kingdom from Syria and Iraq will be helped by the government as long as they have “good intentions.” Hague said that the U.K. authorities are prepared to assist people who come back to Britain after fighting in the Middle East as long as it can be established that they are not planning attacks in the United Kingdom.

William Hague, former British foreign secretary, said that British jihadists returning to the United Kingdom from Syria and Iraq will be helped by the government as long as they have “good intentions.” Hague said that the U.K. authorities are prepared to assist people who come back to Britain after fighting in the Middle East as long as it can be established that they are not planning attacks in the United Kingdom.

The Telegraph reports that around 500 people are believed to have travelled to the region from Britain to fight alongside groups like Islamic State (ISIS). There have been reports that some of the British citizens have become disillusioned with the militant organizations and its ideology, but are afraid of returning home in case they are immediately arrested.

Hague acknowledged that there had been more than 200 arrests this year related to people travelling to Syria and Iraq, but he said that the authorities could also help people who had genuinely given up the struggle.

Our top priority has to be the protection of the security of the people of this country, and that is why we will take action where we think people could be dangerous,” he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.

But the Home Office and the police and the health service are also working together on what we can do to assist those people who come back with good intentions, but of course we have to be sure that they do have good intentions.”

He said that it some cases it could be possible to use the returnees to help deter other British nationals who were considering trying to join groups in the region.

We haven’t had a lot of those people coming back yet and saying they want to be of assistance, but if they do well then of course the government, the police, the National Health Service, will work with those people and help them to recover and to assist others,” he said.

Hague’s comments came after William Shawcross, the head of the Charity Commission, warned that there was a “risk” that money given to British charities has been handed to ISIS fighters. Shawcross warned that the situation could cause “huge damage to public trust” in voluntary organizations. The Commission is looking at eighty-six U.K.-based organizations over alleged links to extremism, with four of these charities facing full investigations.