Jack Letts, aka Jihadi Jack

I saw part of the interview with Jack Letts' parents on Channel 4 News this evening. They are distraught. Who amongst you would like to go through what they are going through? Who could swear, hand on heart, that your children or grandchildren wouldn't do such a thing? I imagine that the boy's parents are not dissimilar to many of you.

What I should like to see happen would be for all the able-bodied people at present incarcerated in camps put to work in an attempt to help rebuild the mess they, and others, have made of Syria. Just simple unskilled hard labour, rebuilding roads, buildings , hospitals, growing food etc. if they don't work, they don't eat, but they might gain more understanding of life rather than that they gleaned from gazing at a computer screen.
The children could be cared for kibbutz style, reunited with their parents at the end of the day. I am sure Israel could advise.
At the end of two years, however long it takes, their native countries could consider whether they were likely to return as an asset to the country they spurned, and agree to accept them. The guiding principle should be what they can do for their countries, not what their country has to do for them.

Probably unworkable, but it's an idea.

eazybee if only??

No, I wouldn't have hurt people but I would have done stupid things, got myself in a mess and been too afraid to get back out again.

Before anybody jumps on me, I am not a jihadi sympathiser in any shape or form.

I think the idea of the kibbutz has now been reviewed and considered far from ideal.

I wouldn't look to Israel for any advice there, eazybee

I don't know quite how I feel about this.

His father is Canadian so perhaps needs to be careful that he is not deported from the UK. I can understand parents feeling they would do anything for their child but sending money to a child whom you know has joined ISIS is not something I think I could do. Does parental love have limits? Besides which, I don't think I would have asked my parents to bale me out if whatever mess I found myself in through my own stupidity. Or fervour for a cause.

We need to be giving far more support for the Kurds who are trying to run these camps and to ensure these young children are not indoctrinated.

By the way, Assad is still bombing and killing his people, if anyone is interested. Just because it's not on the news doesn't mean it has gone away.

Sorry @Dinahmo, I can’t summon any sympathy for people who funded terrorism.

How can this be resolved when there is so much distrust, that those who were radicalised, are able to be accepted back into western society?

And to be fair, why should 'western society' accept back these traitors who would have done us harm if the opportunity had arisen?

I have only so much empathy and compassion to go round. There are much more deserving causes. I am afraid those who saw us as enemies, to be wiped out indiscriminately, are at the bottom of the pile in terms of my emotional involvement.

I do agree that their children are the innocents in all this, until of course, they become old enough to understand and believe that western society is to be destroyed and barbaric acts of violence will do it.

I am not sure what the solution is, to be honest.

I can understand parents feeling they would do anything for their child but sending money to a child whom you know has joined ISIS is not something I think I could do. Does parental love have limits?

I can imagine that his parents are distraught. We tend to love our children no matter what.

I think if your child has murderous intent in his heart then you would have to think twice about standing by him. If you are aware he could kill innocents for a 'cause' he believes in, but most of the world condemns then perhaps that love hits a brick wall?

I'd hate to be in that situation. I feel for his parents but I could not find it in my heart to support a violent would-be-murderer of innocents. There are parents who speak out and apologise for the acts their murderous children have committed. They are full of shame and sorrow for the lives which were lost in their child's act of violence/terrorism.

I think as they say, a line in the sand has to be drawn.

I feel more for his parents than I do for Jack Letts. .

It's shameful that Sajid Javid deprived people who are British born and bred of their citizenship, thereby lumbering other countries with the problem of what to do with them.

The Syrians, and the Kurds in particular, have suffered enough without having the problem of what to do with all these fighters who inflicted so much death and destruction.

As an aside, I think it totally wrong that citizenship can be removed from anyone born in the country - there could be cases where this is justified if citizenship is acquired say through marriage, residency, etc. It's a political act in these recent cases, done for electoral reasons and public opinion.

In the days of the USSR dissidents used to be stripped of their citizenship and banished abroad - it was considered the ultimate punishment and humiliation.

It’s a knotty problem isn’t it?
In Jack Letts case, he told his parents he needed money to escape IS ( and hard to prove otherwise).They did the wrong thing for the right reasons.Their son may have mental health problems ( I am guessing.)
He has dual nationality so the UK government can take away his right to citizenship here.I imagine that his parents will go and live in Canada now so that he can join them at some point.
Although stripping people of their right to live here seems ( and is) harsh, it’s done as a deterrent to others and a fear that the person will go on to commit further crimes here.
Hundreds of young men and women have returned here after joining IS, but certain ones will never be allowed back in.
So, as a society we are giving most of them a second chance.

It's shameful that Sajid Javid deprived people who are British born and bred of their citizenship, thereby lumbering other countries with the problem of what to do with them

I am sorry, but I don't follow that AT ALL.

Someone who goes abroad to fight for an enemy of western society SHOULD be allowed back amongst us?

NO way. The fact that another country has to decide whether to let him in is THEIR problem.

There comes a time when people like Javid who is more interested in OUR safety has to say so.

Compassion has limits. Mine does not extend to murderers who hate me for the only reason that I uphold and represent (liberal) western values and ways of life.

People who hate us and seek to kill us should not be allowed to walk amongst us with impunity. We are the potential victims, not the known terrorist - or person with violent intent.

I and millions of others will not be apologists for fanatics and terrorists or those who benefit from western freedoms but still seek to destroy us.

Day6 I'm talking about Syria, the Kurds in the main, as they are the ones who have captured these IS fighters.

What are they supposed to do with them?

As for Canada in the Letts case, they must be very annoyed as they could have stripped him of their citizenship, in which case the UK could then not do so, under international law.

He was born and radicalised in the UK, not Canada or Syria, but they are now responsible for him. Is that fair on either country?

Put them to work re-building the cities and societies they tried to destroy? Just an idea.....

That's a damned good idea Opal. Putting them to work, rebuilding a country that they gelled to destroy would be an excellent use of their time and a demonstration that they performed characters. However, that doesn't solve the problem of those who are currently in the camps, and are still pledging their allegiance to IS. They're just biding their time until they see a resurgence and have openly stated that they will pick up where they left off.

But Riverwalk, you despaired of Sajid Javid in refusing to allow known terrorists who left Britain to fight for a cause which seeks to destroy western society, back into the UK.

I replied to that,

Javid speaks for me I'm afraid. It's terrible situation, but we have to protect our own, first and foremost. Why should we allow known sympathisers to a terrorist cause walk amongst us with impunity? That's madness and a HUGE risk to our safety and the safety of the people we love and hold dear to us. I am completely with Javid on this.

Another problem though befalls the Kurds. I appreciate that.

I have already written that I do not know what the solution is. It is a predicament, to say the least. Those who say the captured terrorists should be put to work hae acase I think. The rest of the world has to support them though, but I am not sure how they do that.

If a person goes abroad to fight for an enemy intent on our destruction, we have a duty, I feel, to ensure they do not return to our lands to spread their evil and murderous doctrine. I ask you to find fault with that statement.

I have every sympathy with the Kurds though - but taking back terrorists who intend to kill us is not an option either, imo.

Sajid Javid should be applauded for his stance.

However, that doesn't solve the problem of those who are currently in the camps, and are still pledging their allegiance to IS. They're just biding their time until they see a resurgence and have openly stated that they will pick up where they left off

Yup, exactly Chewbacca.

We have to appreciate this. Compassion for those who would happily kill us? Nope. Sorry.

So how would Assad and the Russians fit into this scenario of rebuilding?

They are still busy destroying Idlib and surrounding areas, killing women and children.

Perhaps no-one has noticed with all the concerns over whether or not they will get salads and strawberries at Christmas post-Brexit.

Yes, *Callistemon, ours are first world problems indeed.

I honestly don’t know what should be done about the general problem of foreign nationals who left their countries of residence to fight for IS. It feels like there should be an international solution but I can’t see that happening. However, what I do know is wrong is in this case, given he was brought up and radicalised here, we should never have taken away his British citizenship. Canada must be furious - imagine it the other way round - he was raised and radicalised in Canada, went to fight and now Canada stripped him of his Canadian citizenship and leave us with the problem. Surely at the very least, the country where the radicalisation happened should not be able to shift the onus to the other country?
As for his parents, given the short suspended sentence they were given I think it’s clear that no one seriously believes they were really serious IS supporters? However, I do wonder if the fact of the conviction would stop his mother getting into Canada ( if Canada even let the son in).

Sorry, don't mean to sound cross, but I get a newsfeed about this and it is still heartbreaking. People are caught up between rival factions.

I understand he declared himself an enemy of Britain - so why would we allow him back into the country?

Let's not forget he supported and fought for an organisation which believes in the subjugation of women, rape and murder of women and children who don't follow their doctrine, murder of gays, beheaded innocent aid workers - I could go on.

Why should Syrian Kurds or Canada have to deal with him? He lived and was radicalised in the UK. He's the UK's problem.

I haven't forgotten what he did and don't feel an ounce of compassion towards him.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'Decisions on depriving a dual national of citizenship are based on substantial advice from officials, lawyers and the intelligence agencies and all the available information. This power is one way we can counter the terrorist threat posed by some of the most dangerous individuals and keep our country safe.'

I agree with Savid Javed’s decision. He made it when he was still Home Secretary and Priti Patel upholds it.