EPP Group in favour of criminal prosecution of Europeans fighting for ISIS

Tens and hundreds of thousands of people are being driven from their homes, the borders between the states have ceased to exist, and there is an extermination of civilians, religious and ethnic groups. The EPP Group considers the actions of the militants of the so-called Islamic State (IS) despicable and supports all the efforts of the international coalition which is being built up against it.

During today’s European Parliament debates on the situation in Iraq and Syria, and the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria offensive including the persecution of minorities, the EPP Group negotiator of the Motion for Resolution, Tunne Kelam MEP, called on EU Member States to assist local authorities with all means possible including appropriate military assistance, to repel IS terrorist expansion: "This is the most serious crisis in the recent history of humanity. To counter this new level of terrorism and massive violence, words like ‘we are worried’ or ‘we condemn’ are not enough. We need concrete actions, international cooperation and use of force - terrorists can be contained only by coordinated political will and better arms", said the Estonian MEP.

According to the EPP Group draft Resolution, the international community has to create safe havens in Iraq and Syria where refugees can feel secure and have minimal assistance. "EU responsibility is to guarantee the return of Christian communities and all traditional minorities to their original places of living, to resume living there in dignity, equality and safety, freely practising their religion."

As regards the immediate help the EU can offer to the refugees, the Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group responsible for Legal and Home Affairs, Esteban González Pons MEP, outlined that the EU must reinforce its humanitarian aid to refugees and displaced people who are fleeing from the terror imposed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria: "It is time for the EU to wake up and face a huge humanitarian problem." Moreover, the Spanish MEP stressed that the EU must come up with a strategy to curb the recruitment of European fighters joining the extremist militant groups such as the Islamic State. "Fighting for an extremist group in a third country should be considered a criminal offence under domestic laws. Those extremists coming back to Europe must be brought to justice, regardless of their citizenship. For the security of all European citizens, we can only face this problem which is threatening the whole world if we are united", concluded Esteban González Pons.

The EPP Group calls for EU sanctions targeting all mediators and beneficiaries - governments and companies - involved in transport, refinement and selling of IS-robbed oil in parallel with clamping down on illegal financial flows.