France, Germany rebuff Donald Trump’s demand to take back European IS fighters captured in Syria
- German foreign minister said it would be ‘extremely difficult’ but possible if ‘they will be detained’
A return could only be possible if “we can guarantee that these people can be immediately sent here to appear in court and that they will be detained”, Heiko Maas told ARD television late on Sunday.
For this, “we need judicial information and this is not yet the case”, he said. Under such conditions, repatriation would be “extremely difficult to achieve”.
Berlin wants to “consult with France and Britain … over how to proceed,” he said.
France, meanwhile, said it would be taking back militants on a “case-by-case” basis, Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said.
The subject is to be raised on Monday at a meeting of European foreign ministers called to discuss among other issues “the situation in Syria, in particular the recent developments on the ground”, according to an agenda for the talks.
US-backed fighters appeared poised to capture Islamic State’s last enclave in Syria and Trump on Saturday pressed France, Britain and Germany to bring home more than 800 captured Islamic State fighters and put them on trial.
Trump has sworn to pull US forces from Syria after IS’s territorial defeat, raising concerns in Paris and other European capitals that extremists from their countries could disperse and try to return to their home countries.
“The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial,” Trump said in a tweet, using another acronym for IS.
The Kurdish-led rebels are holding about 150 French citizens in northeastern Syria, including 50 adults, military and diplomatic sources say.
Germany previously said it could only take back IS fighters if the suspects had consular access.
“There is a new geopolitical context, with the US withdrawal.
For the time being we are not changing our policy,” Belloubet told France 2 television.
“At this stage France is not responding to [Trump’s] demands.”
French government policy had been to categorically refuse to take back fighters and their wives. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian referred to them as “enemies” of the nation who should face justice either in Syria or Iraq.
But the prospect of the United States’ withdrawal from Syria has forced France to prepare for the return of dozens of French jihadists held by US-backed Kurdish authorities, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner acknowledged in late January.
Paris is already trying to repatriate minors on a case-by-case basis.
In Belgium, Justice Minister Koen Geens called for a “European solution” on Sunday, suggesting “calm reflection and looking at what would be the least security risks”.
Agence France-Presse, Reuters
