Britain is facing international and domestic pressure to put two ISIL fighters who held UK citizenship on trial for their roles in some of the notorious crimes of the group.
A former UK national security advisor has said that Britain has a responsibility to take back two British Isil fighters captured by Kurdish forces in Syria last month, as US officials also suggest they should be tried in the UK.
Speaking on British radio, Peter Ricketts, who served as UK National Security Advisor until 2012, said “I can absolutely understand that people don’t want these guys back, they sound despicable. On the other hand, we do believe in the rule of law and in accountability,” he said. “At the current time, they’re in a sort of stateless position; they’re not under anyone’s jurisdiction, they’re being held by an insurgency group. I think, in the end, the UK does have responsibility to take these people back in order to put them on trial.”
“In terms of showing people that you cannot commit these horrible crimes and be completely unaccountable for them later, I think – despite all the reluctance – I think that probably, if they were British people, we have some responsibility to take them back.”
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Read more:
The capture of The Isil Beatles brings more questions than answers
US pushes for home countries to take back detainees in Syria
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The comments came as UK and US defence secretaries Gavin Williamson and Jim Mattis were due to meet in Rome on Tuesday for talks between the countries involved in the war against Isil. It is expected that the two would discuss the matter of foreign fighters.
But the comments put Mr Ricketts at odds with several other British and US officials, including UK Defence secretary Gavin Williamson, who has said he doesn’t think the men "should ever set foot in this country again".
"They turned their back on Britain, our values and everything we stand for — they are the worst of the worst”, he said last week.
Tobias Elwood, a minister in the same department said that the two men should be handed over to the International Criminal Court, despite the US not recognising the court’s jurisdiction.
Hitherto, US officials have indicated a desire for the fighters to be tried in their home countries. Speaking on Monday, senior Pentagon official Kathryn Wheelbarger, said "We're working with the coalition on foreign fighter detainees, and generally expect these detainees to return to their country of origin for disposition”.
But last week it was reported that the two men had had their British citizenship revoked, complicating the matter further. US officials also rejected the possibility of them being sent to Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba.
Alexanda Kotey, 34, and Elshafee Elsheikh, 29, were members of the Isil cell known as ‘The Beatles”, the cell was tasked with guarding and executing western hostages.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who have served as the international coalition’s main partner on the ground in Syria against Isil have captured hundreds of foreign fighters, but it remains unclear exactly how they will be dealt with or where they will be tried.
An official from the SDF confirmed they had yet to receive an extradition appeal from any country for the two men.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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