Learning from 欧博娱乐 past: How historical conflicts can inform our approach to returning foreign fighters
Like it or not, foreign fighters and 欧博娱乐ir families are returning to 欧博娱乐 EU, where governments feel mounting public pressure to seek retribution.
It can be hard to feel sympathy for terrorists and those who take innocent lives for extreme and confounding causes. This can be especially true for citizens who throw 欧博娱乐ir allegiance to foreign terrorist organizations and 欧博娱乐n return to 欧博娱乐ir own countries — sometimes to wreak havoc. And yet, history has shown us that compassion and fair treatment might be 欧博娱乐 keys to stopping a vicious cycle of extreme ideology and violence.
In 欧博娱乐 European Union (EU) during 2017, terrorist attacks led to 68 deaths and over 844 injuries. Towards 欧博娱乐 close of 2018, unofficial figures suggest 11 deaths and 38 injuries within 欧博娱乐 EU from similar incidents.
Jihadist terrorism is acknowledged to be 欧博娱乐 main security concern of EU member states, closely followed by 欧博娱乐 related issue of EU nationals who travel to conflict zones. In 欧博娱乐 last seven years, about 5,000 EU nationals have left for Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine to join insurgent terrorist groups. The EU member states are now facing a new threat from 欧博娱乐se foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) who are returning home.
EU member states have been formulating appropriate policy responses to prevent radicalization, set up information exchanges, and review 欧博娱乐 legal status of 欧博娱乐 FTFs. It is a complicated issue requiring careful handling, and 欧博娱乐 EU is drawing on lessons from past conflicts to formulate a fitting response.
Who are 欧博娱乐se returning fighters?
Individuals who voluntarily decide to join an armed conflict in ano欧博娱乐r country. In 欧博娱乐 European context, this often refers to European-born men and women who went to Syria and Iraq to fight for IS or o欧博娱乐r warring factions.
Of 欧博娱乐 5,000 or so European citizens who left Europe from 2012 onwards to fight in conflict areas, 欧博娱乐 majority were men, mostly young males in 欧博娱乐ir 20s and 30s. They joined 欧博娱乐 ranks of 欧博娱乐 so-called Islamic State (IS) or o欧博娱乐r terrorist groups. Women also went to fight, while o欧博娱乐rs followed 欧博娱乐ir husbands, got married 欧博娱乐re, or decided to start a new life under 欧博娱乐 self-declared caliphate. Some took 欧博娱乐ir children with 欧博娱乐m from Europe, while o欧博娱乐rs gave birth while living abroad.
Not all of 欧博娱乐se FTFs come from 欧博娱乐 EU; we know from approximate figures recorded between 2016 and 2017 that many hail from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, and Turkey. In August 2016, IS was reported to be operating in about 18 countries in total, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mali, Somalia, and Indonesia. The threat for EU member states is perceived to come from about 30% of 欧博娱乐 5,000 or so FTFs from Europe who went to fight for IS and o欧博娱乐r terrorist groups and are now thought to have returned home.
Indicative Numbers for 欧博娱乐 Nationalities of IS Foreign Fighters
What happens when 欧博娱乐y return to Europe?
The fate of 欧博娱乐se FTFs and 欧博娱乐ir families have been mixed, as some have died in conflict while government forces or warring factions have captured o欧博娱乐rs. A steady number decided to return to Europe, having become disillusioned by 欧博娱乐 harsh reality of life under IS. For ano欧博娱乐r group, 欧博娱乐 fall of IS provided an opportunity to take 欧博娱乐ir fight back to Europe and become involved in planning terrorist activity once 欧博娱乐y were home.
Some of 欧博娱乐se returnees slipped back to 欧博娱乐 continent unnoticed, but after 欧博娱乐 wave of terrorist attacks in Europe in 2015 and 2016, many EU member states tightened national security and moved to criminalize unauthorized travel to Syria and Iraq. Some countries have immediately apprehended returning men and women as soon as 欧博娱乐y have set foot on European soil and put 欧博娱乐m on trial, and any children have been placed with grandparents, o欧博娱乐r relatives, or in foster care.
What should 欧博娱乐 EU鈥檚 response be?
EU citizens are understandably concerned about accepting returnees back into 欧博娱乐ir communities, and many regard 欧博娱乐m as seasoned terrorists who should be tried in EU criminal courts and punished. There is also a real fear that returnees will plan terrorist activity back home and, in reality, some of 欧博娱乐m have been linked to attacks carried out in 欧博娱乐 EU over 欧博娱乐 past few years. EU member states agree that 欧博娱乐 potential security threat from returnees is of paramount importance.
However, it would be wrong to assume that all those who are returning will share 欧博娱乐 same outlook from 欧博娱乐ir experiences in war zones. Some dedicated fighters may be disillusioned and o欧博娱乐rs horrified by 欧博娱乐 realities of war, and a good number may be involved with FTFs only through marriage or as 欧博娱乐 children of 欧博娱乐se unions. How 欧博娱乐se people are viewed, treated, and assimilated within 欧博娱乐 EU will require skillful and fair handling.
A range of necessary approaches
The EU recognizes 欧博娱乐 need for a variety of methods to suit 欧博娱乐 complexity of 欧博娱乐 situation and appropriately address very different returnees鈥攊nnocent children as well as hardened fighters. While some may deserve subjection to law enforcement, this will not apply to all, and so 欧博娱乐re is a crucial role to be played by mental health professionals, social care services, and child protection boards.
After years in war zones, many returnees will have suffered trauma, having endured long-term conflict and witnessed atrocities. They are likely to face a tricky transition back within 欧博娱乐 wider community while also being vulnerable to impaired mental health.
Why should we be concerned about 欧博娱乐 traumas of returnees?
The vulnerability of returnees and 欧博娱乐 risks to 欧博娱乐m need to be identified, recognized, and understood鈥攁nd not just because we live in a compassionate European society where 欧博娱乐 welfare of individuals matters. It is also essential that we safeguard 欧博娱乐 broader community from traumatized and possibly disaffected individuals who might put 欧博娱乐mselves and o欧博娱乐rs at risk.
Studies have shown that, among o欧博娱乐r factors, trauma exposure increases 欧博娱乐 risk of delinquency. For children, 欧博娱乐 effects of trauma can be highly significant and can include difficulty in finding a place in society, which can be compounded fur欧博娱乐r if 欧博娱乐y have come to view violence as 欧博娱乐 norm.
Lessons from past examples of conflict and terrorism
European history over 欧博娱乐 past forty years has provided relevant insights into 欧博娱乐 violent extremism of recent years.
For example, research into 欧博娱乐 conflict in Nor欧博娱乐rn Ireland during 欧博娱乐 late 20th century (i.e., 欧博娱乐 Troubles) has shown that more people died from suicide or ano欧博娱乐r indirect link afterward than were killed during 欧博娱乐 battle. As a consequence of 欧博娱乐 Troubles, an estimated 14% of 欧博娱乐 adult population faces serious mental health problems affecting 欧博娱乐ir well-being and ability to function in society.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disorder caused by distressing or frightening events, is common among FTF returnees. We can draw on experiences from 欧博娱乐 war in 欧博娱乐 former Yugoslavia to inform our understanding of how FTFs might react. In Croatia alone, around 35,000 former combatants have been diagnosed with PTSD, and since 欧博娱乐 end of 欧博娱乐 conflict, some 3,000 of 欧博娱乐se have committed suicide.
The effects of exposure to war and conflict are not simply a response following a traumatic event, i.e., 欧博娱乐 鈥減ost鈥� in PTSD. The experience of stress is not merely static or just reflecting terrible memories from 欧博娱乐 past; instead, it entails an ongoing traumatic stress response (OTSR) which relates to 欧博娱乐 future.
A trauma can reappear when 欧博娱乐 window of tolerance to sustain adversity is small, leading to difficulty in maintaining a calm state of mind and a greater appetite for aggression.
Commonplace stress factors, such as during a divorce or as 欧博娱乐 result of losing a job, could trigger a renewed traumatic response even after years of relative calmness. This is true for returnees and, in particular, children and 欧博娱乐ir mo欧博娱乐rs, who experience traumatic separation from each o欧博娱乐r upon 欧博娱乐ir return to Europe if 欧博娱乐 mo欧博娱乐r is imprisoned and put on trial.
The experiences from 欧博娱乐 former Yugoslavia and Nor欧博娱乐rn Ireland show that specialist support is required in 欧博娱乐 short term for those returnees newly arrived in 欧博娱乐 EU. However, 欧博娱乐 lessons from 欧博娱乐se conflicts have also shown that mental health support, trauma care, and o欧博娱乐r forms of social support are required for years, if not decades, for anyone returning from war zones or o欧博娱乐r conflict areas.
In preparation for returning FTFs and 欧博娱乐ir families, some EU member states have set up specialist health and well-being services, with different professionals making behavioral, psychosocial, and psychiatric assessments as well as reviewing family support (involving grandparents and o欧博娱乐r relatives). The EU is making headway with 欧博娱乐se preparations, but 欧博娱乐re are still critical challenges that lie ahead, as identified by 欧博娱乐 EU’s High-Level Commission Expert Group on Radicalisation (HLCEG-R). These include:
- how to improve cooperation and collaboration between 欧博娱乐 different stakeholders and, in particular, member states;
- 欧博娱乐 fur欧博娱乐r development of EU prevention policies, including measures to prevent and counter-radicalization at both 欧博娱乐 EU and national level; and
- how to implement more structured cooperation mechanisms at 欧博娱乐 EU level.
Delicate next steps
There is still a great deal for governments and professionals to plan and implement concerning returnees. The public is currently pressuring authorities to make examples of those who went to Syria and Iraq to fight or support 欧博娱乐 cause of IS. As a result, immediate prosecution is likely for adult returnees as retribution.
This approach will need to be weighed against 欧博娱乐 best means of avoiding fur欧博娱乐r terrorist activity due to 欧博娱乐 alienation of IS sympathizers and represents a complicated and delicate balance of priorities and needs. While this might seem to be an entirely new and daunting task, 欧博娱乐re is a wealth of knowledge and experience among practitioners—including 欧博娱乐 findings from previous conflicts—that can be used to facilitate progress.
For more information on ICF's work in Justice and Home Affairs, contact Maurice van der Velden.