In a groundbreaking precedent, France has backed an Iraqi court for its sentencing of four of its citizens to death for joining the Islamic State. Agnès von der Mühll, French foreign affairs ministry spokeswoman, stated that the jihadists “must answer for their crimes in court”.
Canada, among other countries have focused on repatriating IS jihadists, and is partnering with Turkey to return them. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sees these hardened jihadists as potentially a “powerful voice” for deradicalization, and the Royal Canadian Mountain Police thinks its better to save them from death sentences.
Iraq however justifies its death sentences of foreign IS fighters. A judge told British authorities that such sentencing is carried out “in a bid to protect Britain”. Judge Abdul Sattar Beraqdar, spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council stated: The punishment, as much as it seems strong, will affect the security of your country….I am sure there are hundreds of people in Britain at this moment thinking of committing similar crimes.” The UK minister for international development has said similar. Rory Stewart said IS converts believe in an “‘extremely hateful doctrine‘ and had moved away from any allegiance to Britain. They can expect to be killed because of the “serious danger” they pose to the UK’s security.”
“France Backs Iraqi Trial for French Islamic State Terrorists as Fourth Is Condemned to Death”, by Simon Kent, Breitbart, May 27, 2019:
The Iraqi court that has now sentenced four French citizens to death for being members of the Islamic State terrorist group has jurisdiction to rule in the case, France confirmed on Monday.
Islamic State terrorists “must answer for their crimes in court,” France’s foreign affair’s ministry spokeswoman, Agnès von der Mühll, confirmed.She spoke 24-hours after three French citizens were found guilty of joining the Islamic State terrorist group, as Breitbart News reported, and a fourth Mustapha Merzoughi, 37, was sentenced to death by hanging, according to an AFP journalist at the court.
Captured in Syria by a U.S.-backed force fighting the jihadists, they are the first French terrorists to receive death sentences in Iraq, where they were transferred for trial.
The four sentenced to death are part of a group of 12 French terror suspects whose cases faced the Iraq justice system.
All will be tried according to Iraq’s counterterrorism law — which can dole out the death penalty to anyone who joined a terror group, even if they were not in direct combat.
In Paris, von der Mühll said France’s position is that adults detained in Iraq must be tried by the Iraqi justice system, as soon as it declares itself competent.
“France respects the sovereignty of Iraqi authorities” she added, though she expressed her country’s opposition to the death penalty, “in principle, at all times and in all places.”
Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists repatriated in recent months from neighbouring Syria, where they were caught by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces during the battle to destroy the IS “caliphate”.
In 2015 one report by the French senate revealed 47 percent of all known jihadists in what was then Islamic State territory were French citizens, with national intelligence networks having to keep tabs on up to 3,000 individuals at any one time…..

Mac-101 says
The Worm has turned? Good for France!
Keya says
Kill them all. They are traitors.
mortimer says
No, Keya, we are civilized and do not act arbitrarily, and it doesn’t help for you to mindlessly spout off such nonsense. Everyone deserves a fair trial, no matter how guilty. Civilization is shown by the way we treat our foes.
mneidoff says
fair trial yes, death sentence yes. civilization is facing an existential threat.
gravenimage says
Agreed, mneidoff.
Frank Anderson says
Mortimer, we agree on much; and I have highest respect for your greater knowledge of islam. I have a problem. In the opening days of WWII a member of the UK cabinet (Lord Beaverbrook?) ordered the British air force to refrain from bombing German war plants because they were “private property”. The Germans had no qualms about bombing British citizens and every war plant they could reach. Arbitrary restraint teaches nothing to Nazis or muslims.
Unlawful enemy combatants are entitled to little or none of the rights today that are afforded to lawful uniformed combatants. The isis/isil/daesh killers are nothing more than pirates on land who have tortured, slaughtered and enslaved tens or hundreds of thousands in their rampage. Until recently pirates could be shot on sight without any excuse of a trial. They were considered rightly as “enemies of all mankind.” Hostis humani generis.
We are confronting a real, live monster which has thumbed its nose at all rules of civilization every day of its 1400 years. We can teach that monster nothing because it believes under pain of death that it is the “final, perfect, complete and unchangeable” expression of its god. The thoughts of Nietzsche regarding the fighting of monsters seem highly applicable.
Lavéritétriomphera says
@Frank Anderson,
“I will not bemoan their fate, they knew what to expect” the MEP Jordan Bardela, member of the sovereignist parti (Marine Le Pen), said.
Always best wishes,
Amitiés toujours
Frank Anderson says
Kevin, always sincere greetings. Some people understand that monsters do not learn to stop being monsters by displays of weakness. All monsters do not seek to be civilized. They make a choice to be brutal and without principles, to kill without mercy or remorse. Look at German mass reprisal killing in both WWI and II of civilians in retaliation for “partisan” activities; both the partisan acts and retaliation were thoroughly illegal under law. I think the rules of civilization must bend as necessary to preserve the life of civilization, as taught in the First Mitzvah, “All rules bend as necessary for the preservation of life.” We face a monster to whom only death has meaning. Best wishes to you, and to Mrs. LePen..
Lavéritétriomphera says
@Frank Anderson,
Bonsoir,
I cannot say I feel bad for them, as I told my brother, we never had “very” nice and friendly kings and presidents, and some think we should maybe reopen the death penalty debate in France? I agree with Jordan Bardela, these individuals have a history of violence in Syria/Iraq. They need to be judge according to the law of the countries where they committed their crimes.
Sincerely
À bientôt
Frank Anderson says
Kevin, it is my understanding subject to correction, that the best country to try war crimes is where they occurred because in theory the evidence and witnesses are likely to be more available. I think, again subject to correction, that any country which has ratified the UN Charter of London (1945), establishing much of the law of war crimes, has authority to try war crimes upon any person in its jurisdiction. I welcome correction or clarification.
Best always.
Lavéritétriomphera says
@Frank Anderson,
Salut Ami,
London agreement 8 August 1945:
Article 1.
There shall be established after consultation with the Control Council for Germany an International Military Tribunal for the trial of war criminals whose offenses have no particular geographical location whether they be accused individually or in their capacity as members of organizations or groups or in both capacities http://www.icls.de/dokumente/imt_london_agreement.pdf.
I am not a lawyer, but I understand that Iraq and Syria have full discretion to judge individuals who have committed crimes on their soils.
Bien à toi
Frank Anderson says
Kevin, I take great pleasure and honor is our conversation. I think your reading of this provision is correct. I also think that while a country is not required to conduct a war crimes trial on people within its jurisdiction, it may, and if “international law” wanted to prevent the trial, I don’t think that would stop the trial, however brief. As my beloved uncle, Grump, taught frequently, there are at least 3 sides to every story. We struggle to find the “right”. Best wishes.
mortimer says
The death penalty may not deter would-be jihadists who “LONG FOR DEATH”, but it will stop them from coming home to promote terrorism, and it will punish these evil doers for treason, mass murder and crimes against humanity. As a former abolitionist, I do not say that lightly.
WE LOVE DEATH!
-K.62.6. “O ye who are Jews! If ye claim that ye are favoured of Allah apart from (all) mankind, then LONG FOR DEATH if ye are truthful.”
– “Submit to Islam and be safe. Or agree to the payment of the Jizzya (tax), and you and your people will be under our protection, else you will have only yourself to blame for the consequences, for I bring the men who DESIRE DEATH as ardently as you desire life.” – message from Caliph Abu Bakr was delivered by Khalid ibn Walid to the Persian monarch Emperor Yazdegerd III before the Battle of Qadesiyya in 636AD, before invading Persia. (an explicit declaration of war)
-“According to Hassan al-Banna (founder of Muslim Brotherhood), the Koran enjoins believers to LOVE DEATH more than life. Unfortunately, he argues, Muslims are in thrall to a “love of life.”
-“The illusion which had humiliated us is no more than the love of worldly life and the HATRED OF DEATH.” – Hassan al-Banna, founder of Muslim Brotherhood
Let these ‘death-lovers’ be introduced to the public executioner.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
The death penalty may not deter would-be jihadists who “LONG FOR DEATH”, but it will stop them from coming home to promote terrorism…
I’m not even sure of that, mort. The action is in Dar al Harb, that’s where the war is now. What do they care if they get busted back in civilization, they still get to ascend their Jannat thrones up there in Islamo Porn Heaven. It’s all good.
DVult says
A couple of strategically placed pork chops just prior to execution might discourage their entry into their non-existent brothel in the sky according to the rules of their false beliefs.
No Muzzies Here says
Islamic State members are dangerous to all humans in the world. There is no possible rehabilitation. Iraq needs to exercise its right to make sure that the IS members are never able to hurt a human being ever again. They must be put to death.
European pagan says
Kill terrorists! Dead terrorists can not harm anymore
Rufolino says
As an Englishman I remember the last hanging of a woman, for a crime of passion, in the 1950’s.
If there recently existed legal murder of a tragic woman like her, for what she did, execution of Islamic terrorists who murderously hate all “unbelievers” should certainly be made legal in the UK once again.
Anthony Jagers says
WOW! Not that I disagree with this, but from now on Europeans can stop criticizing the U.S. policy on the death penalty.
gravenimage says
France backs Iraqi court death sentence for four French citizens who joined Islamic State
…………………..
Wow–this is surprising to see.
Georg says
They won’t be missed except by enemies of what’s good.
Don McKellar says
There really coudn’t be a better course of action to deal these scumbags. Just, fair, and it doesn’t cost the taxpayers a franc! ALL countries need to adopt this approach.
Laura says
We should be similarly harsh with our own domestic muslim Jihadists, it’s the only thing they understand. Allowing endless appeals and providing legal aid simply tells them that we are afraid of them.
Frank Anderson says
Laura, could such displays of ritual indecision also show that “we” are afraid of “ourselves”. “They” have no fear of us, yet. On the contrary, 1400 years of teaching and practice show without interruption or moderation that we are the subject of their contempt. Please consider?
UNCLE VLADDI says
This would be good news IF it wasn’t just another example of the Frogs selling out their own citizens in favor of pandering to muslims. If they had their own death penalty for treason, then it would make at least some sense, but they don’t.