The dilemma over how to deal with captured foreign fighters has been brought into the spotlight. Reuters
The dilemma over how to deal with captured foreign fighters has been brought into the spotlight. Reuters
The dilemma over how to deal with captured foreign fighters has been brought into the spotlight. Reuters
The dilemma over how to deal with captured foreign fighters has been brought into the spotlight. Reuters

Foreign fighters must not be left in legal limbo. They must be brought to justice


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  • Arabic

The US-led coalition to defeat ISIL has accomplished a significant victory by driving the militants from their strongholds in Mosul and Raqqa, thereby depriving them of their dream of establishing their so-called caliphate. But now that the military campaign is winding down, a new and equally challenging problem has arisen: namely, what to do with the hundreds of foreign fighters who have been captured and are now being held by the American-backed Syrian Defence Forces.

The dilemma over how to deal with captured ISIL fighters has been brought into the spotlight by James Mattis, the US Defence Secretary, who has sparked a diplomatic rift with Britain over the fate of two members of the so-called "Beatles", a group of British extremists who were responsible for some of the most gruesome acts of violence perpetrated in ISIL's name.

Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, who are originally from west London, are reported to have been captured while attempting to flee across the Syrian border following the collapse of ISIL’s stronghold in Raqqa. It has been suggested the men may have been trying to return to Britain to commit further acts of violence.

Kotey and Elsheikh are said to be members of the “Beatles”, a group of violent men who were given the nickname because of their strong British accents. They are accused of carrying out torture and summary executions, such as those of British aid worker David Haines and American journalist Steve Foley.

Mohammed Emwazi, the group's notorious leader who was also known as "Jihadi John" and was filmed in numerous videos carrying out beheadings, is believed to have been killed in a coalition airstrike in November 2015. A fourth member is serving a prison sentence in Turkey on terrorism charges.

The controversy over what to do with Kotey and Elsheikh, as well as the hundreds of other foreign fighters being held by the SDF, has surfaced as a result of the British government’s decision to withdraw their British passports, thereby rendering them stateless. Nor is Britain the only country that is trying to wash its hands of extremists. ISIL fighters from as far afield as Russia, Europe, China, Japan and a number of Arab countries are currently being held in detention, and none of their home countries appears to want them back.

The attitude of most governments has been succinctly summed up by British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, who said earlier this week, “I don’t think they should ever set foot in this country again. They turned their back on Britain, our values and everything we stand for — they are the worst of the worst.”

But while this adequately sums up the attitude of countries who have seen their citizens abandon their homes and families to wage jihad on behalf of ISIL, it does not answer the thorny problem of how to deal with captured fighters who now find themselves stateless.

In many respects it is a rerun of the dilemma another US-led coalition faced following its initial military intervention in Afghanistan in 2001 to destroy Al Qaeda and its allies in the wake of the September 11 attacks. While the military campaign itself was a great success - Al Qaeda and its Taliban backers were routed within a matter of weeks - the aftermath proved more problematic, particularly Washington’s treatment of the hundreds of foreign fighters who were captured fighting for Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Because many of these fighters had no known country of origin, and due to the immense difficulties the US and its allies faced acquiring enough evidence on the battlefield to bring a successful prosecution, those deemed to be the most dangerous fighters were transferred to America's Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba, where a number of them remain to this day.

While it might have appeared a practical solution to an intractable problem at the time, in the long-term the whole Guantanamo issue has turned out to be self-defeating for the US and its allies owing to the widespread international criticism it has attracted.

Even so, there has been talk in some Washington circles of sending some of the captured fighters in Syria to Guantanamo, not least because US President Donald Trump spoke of his desire to send foreign fighters to the detention facility when he was campaigning for the White House.

So long as Mr Trump remains president, this possibility cannot be ruled out, it is now clear that senior members of his national security staff, many of whom had to deal with the fall-out from the Guantanamo controversy when they were serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, have no desire to repeat the mistake.

This certainly seems to be the case with Mr Mattis, a former Marine general who commanded coalition forces in both conflicts. Speaking in Rome earlier this week, he called on the host nations of captured fighters to accept responsibility for their citizens and put them on trial.

“Doing nothing is not an option,” he said. “The important thing is that the countries of origin keep responsibility for them.”

Mr Mattis certainly has a point. If the US and its allies want to maintain the moral high ground in the war against Islamist-inspired extremism, then they must bring those suspected of committing heinous crimes to justice, rather than abandoning them in a legal limbo.

Con Coughlin is the Daily Telegraph’s Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor

Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23

Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3

Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2

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THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

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The Lowdown

Us

Director: Jordan Peele

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss

Rating: 4/5

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Gunn%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chris%20Pratt%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Dave%20Bautista%2C%20Vin%20Diesel%2C%20Bradley%20Cooper%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

Important questions to consider

1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?

There are different types of travel available for pets:

  • Manifest cargo
  • Excess luggage in the hold
  • Excess luggage in the cabin

Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.

 

2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?

If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.

If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.

 

3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?

As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.

If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty. 

If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport. 

 

4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?

This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.

In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.

 

5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?

Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.

Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.

Source: Pawsome Pets UAE

THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%202-litre%20direct%20injection%20turbo%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%207-speed%20automatic%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20261hp%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20400Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20From%20Dh134%2C999%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars