Spain sinks Swiss plan to withdraw citizenship of terror suspect
Switzerland has been foiled in its desire to cancel the citizenship of a terror suspect currently being held in a jail in Syria. The migration office did not know that Spain has acted faster in withdrawing the passport of the dual citizen, reports Swiss public broadcaster SRF.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/mga
Español
es
España se adelanta a Suiza en caso de presunto terrorista
This means that Switzerland cannot also turn its back on the terror suspect, known as Daniel D, as it would leave him stateless.
A letter seen by SRF, dated mid-June, suggests that a months-long process by the State Secretariat for Migration to cancel Daniel D’s citizenship has been in vain. It appears that Spain stripped him of citizenship in 2015.
The Swiss migration office said it would not comment on individual cases. The Spanish embassy to Bern had previously told SRF that Spain had withdrawn citizenship, but the letter from the Swiss migration office now confirms that it has ended its own process.
Born in Geneva to Swiss and Spanish parents, Daniel D was dubbed “Switzerland’s most dangerous Jihadist” by counter-terrorism experts after leaving Switzerland in 2015 to join Islamic State. He was reportedly captured by Syrian forces in June of last year when he was aged 24.
The condition of Daniel D, also known by his alias Abu Ilias al-Swissri, is unclear as he has little contact with the outside world from his cell in Syria.
Although Spain and Switzerland cooperate on anti-terrorism measures, communication between the two countries on this case appears to have been limited.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Another jihadist suspect set to lose Swiss passport
This content was published on
Moves are underway to strip a Geneva-based woman suspected of supporting militant Islamic organisations of her Swiss nationality.
This content was published on
The Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) is reviewing asylum applications as a measure to prevent potential terrorists from entering Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.