Over 400 former UK Daesh fighters have returned to Britain without being prosecuted for war crimes, genocide, or terrorism-related offences, according to a parliamentary report that urges the government to act swiftly. A joint committee of MPs and peers has warned that Britain is failing to hold its own citizens accountable for atrocities committed in Syria and Iraq, including mass killings and rape campaigns against Yazidis and other minorities.
The committee is now calling for legal amendments to enable British courts to prosecute international crimes, regardless of where they were committed.
No Prosecutions Despite Known Atrocities
Hundreds of British nationals had travelled to join Daesh over the past decade, many of whom took part in violent campaigns during the group’s occupation of territory across Syria and Iraq. Yet, according to the Daily Telegraph, none of the 400+ individuals who have since returned to the UK have been successfully prosecuted.
The report stresses that British nationals must be held to account domestically, especially as prosecutions in former Daesh territories remain unlikely due to weak judicial systems.
Committee Urges Crime Bill Amendment
The key legal obstacle is that under current UK law, prosecutions for war crimes and genocide can only proceed if the accused is a UK national, UK resident, or subject to service law. The committee recommends amending the Crime and Policing Bill currently before Parliament to remove this barrier and allow prosecution for crimes committed abroad.
“This is not something the UK can simply wash its hands of,” said Lord Alton, chairman of the committee. “British nationals committed horrendous crimes under Daesh. We have a duty to bring them to justice.”
More Transparency on Citizenship Stripping
The report also calls for greater transparency regarding the government’s decisions to revoke citizenship from British nationals linked to Daesh. High-profile cases such as Shamima Begum have raised serious public and legal debate over due process, national security, and human rights.
Children in Syrian Camps Must Be Repatriated
The committee further urges the government to take urgent action to repatriate British children stranded in detention camps in northeast Syria. Many are living in dire conditions alongside the families of former Daesh fighters.
“These camps are breeding grounds for future radicalisation,” said Lord Alton. “It is in the UK’s national interest to bring these children home and prevent another generation from being lost to extremism.”
