Eight more jihadi brides hope to be repatriated to NL: Telegraaf

Photo: Depositophotos.com
Photo: Depositophotos.com

A further eight Dutch women who went to live in IS-controlled parts of Syria are now hoping to return to the Netherlands, following the successful repatriation of Ilham B at the beginning of June, the Telegraaf said on Wednesday.

‘I think that fetching Ilham B set a precedent,’ lawyer Andre Seebregts said. The eight women have some 25 children between them.

The women are all willing to go on trial in the Netherlands but will not end up facing legal action unless they are brought back, because their cases will expire. That was exactly the argument used by the cabinet to justify the decision to fetch Ilham B.

Both justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus and foreign minister Sigrid Kaag have confirmed that ‘similar’ requests have been made and that they will be looked at on a case by case basis, the Telegraaf said.

MPs are due to debate the decision and secret mission to bring back B on Thursday.

The Netherlands has been struggling with deciding what to do about its jihadi brides and children and the government has said it will not actively try to bring Dutch nationals back because it is too dangerous for civil servants to make the trip.

According to the Dutch security service AIVD, some 120 Dutch adults are in Syria and Iraq as well as 210 children with at least one Dutch parent.

The issue has divided the cabinet and both the VVD and CDA are opposed to bringing back the children, even though most are under the age of 6.

Although a lower court said the Netherlands should try to bring them back, that was overturned on appeal and again by the Supreme Court.

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