Jeppe Kofod, Foreign Minister of Denmark, says the nation "owes nothing to ISIS fighters" as the country withdraws passports from extremists. Getty Images
Jeppe Kofod, Foreign Minister of Denmark, says the nation "owes nothing to ISIS fighters" as the country withdraws passports from extremists. Getty Images
Jeppe Kofod, Foreign Minister of Denmark, says the nation "owes nothing to ISIS fighters" as the country withdraws passports from extremists. Getty Images
Jeppe Kofod, Foreign Minister of Denmark, says the nation "owes nothing to ISIS fighters" as the country withdraws passports from extremists. Getty Images

Denmark takes first passports off ISIS fighters after passing new law


Nicky Harley
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Denmark has withdrawn the first Danish passports from ISIS fighters following the passing of a new law.

Two men have had their passports taken away in the first case of its kind.

It comes a month after the Danish government voted to strip extremist fighters with dual nationality of their Danish citizenship to stop them from returning to Denmark.

Denmark's immigration minister, Mattias Tesfaye, said his ministry is looking into a total of four cases “where two have had their citizenship withdrawn".

Lawyer Mette Grith Stage represents a 25-year-old man with dual Turkish citizenship who is wanted by Denmark.

She said she learned about the decision on Monday and has informed her client.

Ms Stage says she intends to bring the ruling before Danish courts. The man reportedly joined ISIS in September 2013. He cannot be identified due to a court order.

No information was given about the second man.

Last week Denmark sad it was withdrawing consular assistance to foreign ISIS fighters.

Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod had tweeted: “We owe absolutely nothing to foreign fighters who went to Syria and Iraq to fight for IS (ISIS).

"This is why we are now taking measures against the access of foreign fighters to consular assistance by the foreign ministry and Danish representations abroad."

In September, the government said it thought 36 extremists had travelled from Denmark to combat zones.

Of the total, 10 held a Danish residence permit which the authorities took away, and 12 Danish citizens had been imprisoned.