Hundreds of European Muslims fighting Assad

jpost.com ^ | 4/25/13 | ARIEL BEN SOLOMON

[Nachum]

European intelligence agencies are worried that European Muslims fighting in Syria will return to carry out terrorist attacks because of their contacts built with al-Qaida, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

The UK, Ireland and France are the Western countries believed to have the most fighters in Syria, according to the report, which quotes EU anti-terror chief Gilles de Kerchove as saying that about 500 Muslims from Europe are fighting with the rebels.

However, according to Soeren Kern, a senior fellow for the New York-based Gatestone Institute, and a longtime observer of Islam in Europe, more than 1,000 European Muslims are fighting in Syria. In an article for Gatestone in March titled “European Jihadists: The Latest Export,” he wrote that Syria “has replaced Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia as the main destination for militant Islamists seeking to obtain immediate combat experience with little or no official scrutiny.”

[Nachum]

Syria "replaced Afghanistan, Pakistan as main destination for Islamists seeking to obtain combat experience," says expert.

[Amberdawn]

If I could, I would prevent their reentry into their ‘home’ countries. These murderers don’t deserve to live among the civilized.

[Brad from Tennessee]

The Iran/Iraq War of the 1980’s had a death toll of about 1 million. Israel, and to a lesser extent, the U.S. aided both sides which prolonged the war. One man's Holy War is another man's Roach Motel.

[Greysard]

If I could, I would prevent their reentry into their ‘home’ countries.

Freshly minted jihadis fly to Turkey, and then take a taxicab across the border. One could also go to Jordan, which has a very long and essentially unguarded border with Syria. One could cross from Lebanon as well. They will have enough support from fellow jihadis in those places; muslim border guards will just look the other way. A foreigner in a 3rd country is nobody.

Short of being wounded and needing care, nobody in UK or other home countries would ever know where these travelers have been. But even if a jihadi chooses to cross the border officially, with a stamp in the passport ... it's still his human right to do so, as long as both countries do not object. Fighting as a mercenary - that is illegal. But mere visiting is fine, especially if the visitor somehow relates to Syria.

[SampleMan]

But even if a jihadi chooses to cross the border officially, with a stamp in the passport ... it's still his human right to do so, as long as both countries do not object.

Syria objects. Additionally, you can't have a human right that is contingent upon permission be granted. Simply put, you have no inherent right to enter another country.

[Venturer]

Bingo:

Don’t let these animals back into your country.

[Amberdawn]

Fighting as a mercenary is the operative phrase here. If the countries from which these “fighters” hail are enemies of the recipient countries, they can be charged with a crime.