British Isis-linked families could be allowed to return to UK from Syrian camps

British families with connections to Islamic State detained in north-eastern Syria may soon have the opportunity to return to the UK, according to the government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation.

Jonathan Hall KC made the assessment following Australia's repatriation on Thursday of four women linked to Isis and their nine children from Syrian detention facilities.

Speaking to BBC, Mr Hall explained that Syria's change in leadership creates new possibilities for British nationals held in the camps.

"With the change of regime, which the government recognises, and the possibility that the regime says, 'we don't want to carry on guarding these women and children for a long time', I suppose it opens up further possibilities," he said.

Three of the Australian women faced arrest upon their arrival home.

The repatriated Australians had been held in the same facility as Shamima Begum, who left Bethnal Green in east London aged 15 to join Isis-controlled territory in 2015.

Begum was subsequently "married off" to an Isis fighter and had her British citizenship revoked in February 2019.

The detention camps currently hold a mix of British citizens, including men, women and children, alongside individuals who have had their citizenship stripped and children born to formerly British mothers.

Mr Hall acknowledged the prolonged detention of these children has been troubling, stating it "hasn't been comfortable" that youngsters born to British or formerly British women have remained in the camps for such extended periods.

He noted there are "decent arguments" for some women who departed Britain at very young ages.

However, Mr Hall cautioned that bringing prosecutions against returnees would prove extremely challenging due to evidential hurdles.

"I don't think anyone could, hand on heart, say to the Prime Minister: 'All of these people will be taken into custody for five years, where they will be assessed and released only after a strict process of assessment and de-radicalisation'," he said.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• British children's books seized by Russia after being branded 'extremist'
• Finnish politician found guilty of 'hate speech' over 22-year-old church pamphlet appeals to ECHR
• Iranian dissident fears Britain faces deadly ‘revenge’ if his country’s evil leadership is not completely wiped out

The leading lawyer explained that UK evidence rules and criminal liability requirements make it "actually very difficult in practice to prosecute people for doing things a long way away".

While accepting that some returnees, particularly teenagers raised in Isis dominated areas, would present security concerns.

Mr Hall maintained Britain possesses "a lot of quite powerful and effective ways of managing risk" and "should be able to absorb the risk".

Maya Foa, director of the human rights organisation Reprieve, which represents families and lawyers of Britons held in north-eastern Syria, described Australia's decision as a "really significant development".

She told the Today programme that Syria's new administration has no desire to maintain these detention facilities permanently, noting they hold tens of thousands of women and children, the majority being minors including many foreign nationals.

"The Syrian government doesn't want to hold these camps indefinitely. And why would they, really?" Ms Foa said.

She argued that countries with nationals or former nationals in the camps must reconsider their approach to the situation.

Ms Foa condemned the prolonged detention, pointing out some individuals have been held approaching a decade without trial or any form of due process, calling it "already outrageous that they've been left so long".

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter