The defense against the global jihad is a war. Jihad attacks in the West are single battles in that war. Yet authorities continue to prosecute jihadis as if they were a series of criminals committing separate and discrete criminal acts that are unrelated to one another. If we had arrested and tried separately in criminal court every German and Japanese soldier captured during World War II, which side would have won that war? This myopia is self-defeating at best, and as the jihad continues, that will become increasingly obvious. One occasion of its becoming obvious will be when these jihadis are released.
“Europe faces a wave of freed terror convicts. Is it ready?,” Associated Press, May 10, 2018:
PARIS (AP) — Over the next two years, terrorism convicts will walk free from European prisons by the dozens — more than 200 inmates who largely formed the first wave of jihadis streaming to Syria and Iraq, dreaming of an Islamic caliphate not yet established.
In all, about 12,000 Europeans left to fight with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida beginning in 2011; about a third of those are now believed to be back home, mostly living freely. Some are awaiting trial, but most never even faced serious charges due to insufficient evidence.
And many more were thwarted from traveling to the war zone entirely, left to stew and, sometimes, plot at home.
How much of a threat do these avowed extremists living throughout Europe pose, and how equipped are authorities to deal with them? The tactics thus far have been, at best, improvised.
The impending releases of jihadi veterans could be considered “a fourth wave of returnees,” according to Rik Coolsaet, a scholar at Belgium’s Egmont Institute who has done extensive research on violent extremism.
“There are a number of personal frustrations and motivations that have pushed the kids in their journey to ISIS that we now have to address,” Coolsaet said. “If we don’t address it now, the environment will remain as conducive for this kind of jihadi violence.”
Farid Benyettou, a former influential crusader who has now publicly renounced extremism, fears Europe is not braced to cope with the hordes of believers roaming free.
Once nicknamed the “imam Voltaire” after the high school he left to become a backroom preacher to young Muslims in his Paris neighborhood, Benyettou has written a book detailing his descent into becoming a propagandist of Islamic extremism. He views the coming round of prison releases with an apprehension born of firsthand experience.
Benyettou, now 38, spent four years in prison on terrorism charges, alternating between recruiting fellow inmates to the cause and furiously studying for his degree. It took years for him to disavow the ideology he once spread so effectively. Now, he says extremism sows only death.
Among the group of young men he once led are Cherif and Said Kouachi, who gunned down 12 people at the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in 2015. Another follower blew himself up in Iraq; yet another died in Syria fighting for the Islamic State group.
The cell he once led epitomizes the urgent question Europe now faces: Are the terrorism convicts on the verge of freedom like Benyettou, the Kouachis or somewhere in between?
“These guys who are convicted today or who are awaiting trial will get out one day,” Benyettou said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And that’s the issue, in fact: What kind of preparations will there be for their release?”
Terrorism prison sentences in Europe until very recently averaged about six years, compared to 13 years in the United States, according to data from Europol.
Since the Charlie Hebdo attacks, the sentences have crept up across the continent, but still remain well below U.S. levels.
“The danger is the risk of recidivism. We should not be too quick to believe certain terrorists who say they are repentant,” Catherine Champrenault, the Paris prosecutor general, said in a recent interview with the newspaper Le Monde….
No kidding, really?
Niemoller says
Get the word out, this is a crime. Each act of jihad by these SOBs is a guilty sentence for the EU quisling politicians who let them in.
Convicted jihadists should be executed as China would do to them. Second best is forcibly dump them on the ummah, let it take care of its filth. Islam is a nation of states, and the ummah are its citizens. There should be no citizenship for jihadists in free countries. That should be policy from the UK to the Philippines.
J D S says
In the first place a system should have been in place to never have allowed these people to have left their adopted, or born there, home countries and in the second place there should have been a system in place that would have not let them back in. But the largest point to be made is..These and thousands on top o thousands should never have been allowed into Europe. There is a BIG difference between refugees and a group of people who have known nothing but war, terrorism and upheaval since their inception…people like this ALWAYS bring their BAGGAGE with them…Lesson learned for Europe…too late!!! But not too late for America…Not too late if President Trump’s immigration plan is let stand….and we Americans do our part. But you know what???? Our present court system may throw a knot into all he is trying to do…and that is….PROTECT AMERICA!
Other serious problems are the liberal left and a group of Congressmen and Senators who have THEIR OWN agenda and NOT America…very shameful and even possibly traitorous.
Fred says
What do you mean,”possibly traitorous “? If leftist are not traitors, than no one is. And they deserve a traitors death, the rope. Especially the leftist judiciary. Politicians can be voted out, but federal judges are appointed for life. And their convoluted reasoning, lack of adherence to stare decicis and the Constitution is evil in itself. The left seeks nothing less then the destruction of the USA and the West.
But maybe I am being too harsh.
Sons of Liberty says
Too Harsh ,…these Marxists in the judiciary are endangering every American . They just captured several illegal Muslim invaders from SYRIA…. in the Laredo , Texas sector OF OUR BORDER ! How many DIDN’T GET CAPTURED ? Americans had better wake up ,….this IS NATIONAL SECURITY ! There is a pipeline through MEXICO to get jihadis INTO THE UNITED STATES. The DEMOCRATS and others WHO REFUSE TO SECURE OUR BORDER …..DON’T CARE about you or your family …they only CARE ABOUT …illegal VOTES and CHEAP LABOR.
Bev says
They are blithering idiot politicians. All I can say is I’m thankful I had a chance to experience Europe before it became Islamic. I lived in Germany for 10 yrs and you could not pay me to visit these days. Germany pretty much did away with their conscripted army so really all they have are the Polizei. I hate to be a negative nancy here, but the disarmed citizens do not stand a chance against the fanatic Islamists. And the Polizei don’t have the armament to tackle the no go zones unless they start killing back.
saturnine says
Why would you choose that term when so many others are more apt? “Jihadi” “Islamist” “ISIS recruiter” “Propagandist” “Militant”. More banal media ignorance and facile equivalence.
Sons of Liberty says
EXACTLY , saturnine ! First of all Muslims despise the term CRUSADER and believe that is what we are in the Middle East . They see the US military as …CRUSADERS.
mortimer says
Question: “Europe faces a wave of freed terror convicts. Is it ready?,”
Answer: NO !
sidney penny says
“In all, about 12,000 Europeans left to fight with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida beginning in 2011; about a third of those are now believed to be back home, mostly living freely. Some are awaiting trial, but most never even faced serious charges due to insufficient evidence.”
12,000 European Misunderstanders of Islam.
Estee Tabernac says
Yes, it’s important to have sufficient evidence before convicting people of a crime. To do otherwise betrays the principle of justice. We don’t punish people because they are suspicious.
gravenimage says
So does the foul “Estee Tabernac” actually have a problem with those fighting for ISIS?
Matthieu Baudin says
“…The defense against the global jihad is a war. Jihad attacks in the West are single battles in that war. Yet authorities continue to prosecute jihadis as if they were a series of criminals committing separate and discrete criminal acts that are unrelated to one another…”
Enemy Combatants require Military Trials. In some senses the Jihad is an irregular form of combat but this makes little difference; many countries have tried guerrilla fighters in Military Courts and sentenced them to terms in Military Prisons. This is the way forward, admit to the reality of the current war and respond according to the rules and processes of war.
Clive Stephen Delmonte says
There are so many depressing aspects to this situation. Many thousands of Jews have found life in modern France has become intolerable and have emigrated. Shall we too find this in the UK ?
One incoming wave of violent, deranged, but untouchable individuals shall displace another, which is peaceful and law abiding, but which finds itself the target of madness (again) ?
Linda Goudsmit says
THERE ARE NO LONE WOLVES. Every jihadi is connected through Islamist ideology and its supremacist desire for Islam to dominate the world under sharia law. Ideology binds jihadists one to the other – there is no other requirement and no membership card necessary. The politicians, police, and pundits who ask “Is he a lone wolf?” are part of the problem. There are no lone wolves – period.
Axolortl says
Don’t be so pessimistic.
What could possibly go wrong?
Tom says
It may be prident to invest in the largest construction companies because I forsee the construction of gallows being a growth industry in Europe if the politicians don’t change and start making laws to keep these Islamist terrorists in prison indefinately.
The people of Europe, like any other population under threat, will only take so much before they revolt, and the longer it foments, the more bloody it will be.
“Anyone who puts the human rights of terrorists before the right to life of our children has no place in power.” Katie Hopkins.
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable” John F. Kennedy
Estee Tabernac says
It appears that you advocate rounding up all suspected Muslims and delivering collective punishment.
What differentiates this from methods used by Stalin, Mao and Hitler?
Fred says
Stalin, Mao and Hitler rounded up Intellectuals, teachers, writers. These Muslims are violent supremacist, and even the ones who haven’t attacked yet, many shall in the future, support those who do, or at a minimum fail to work against them. They have no intent on assimilating onto their new societies, which they voluntarily chose to enter. And have you noticed, they NEVER move to non-muslim countries.
gravenimage says
What claptrap from “Estee Tabernac”–Jihadists are not random Muslims. And they are being punished for their own actions–there is no collective punishment here.
Sam says
By the time they get out of prison they will have learned their wrong ways and will become freedom loving citizens to spread the love in the mosque they attend with the help of welfare checks they will get from government.
I do not see anything wrong with the process. Do you?
Politicianophobia says
Just more manic Muslims.
We are the invaders says
The West used them as “tools” when invading, occupating and destabilizing sovereign nations in the Middle East. Of course the West has an obligation to take care of them. We ruined their countries, now they ruin our countries. Maybe we learn not to occupate far countries after that? One can live in hope.
gravenimage says
What absolute claptrap. Islam has ruined Islamic countries, and has been doing so for 1400 years now.
gravenimage says
Over 200 convicted jihadis to be released in Europe over the next two years
…………………
As Robert Spencer says, what could possibly go wrong?