US presence: an American military convoy is seen in the village of Khirbet Ammu, Syria, February 12
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The United States offered several times to repatriate three Swiss Jihadists detained in Syria, an offer that Switzerland refused, the Le Temps newspaper has said.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Le Temps/RTS/swissinfo.ch/ilj
The original proposal dated back to 2018, Le Temps said on ThursdayExternal link. The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFAExternal link) apparently received a letter offering to repatriate the men and their families to a Swiss airport for $500,000 (CHF491,000).
The offer was refused on account of the price, which was judged indefensible if it became public, Le Temps reported.
At the time the Swiss government had not drawn up their policy on repatriation of “Jihadi travellers”. This came several months later, in March 2019, when the Swiss government said that Swiss citizens who went to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State should face trial under international legal standards in the country where they committed their crimes.
Le Temps noted that Bern has not banned Jihadis from returning to Switzerland but does not intervene to ensure their repatriation.
In reaction, the FDFA said in the Le Temps article that it was examining measures to repatriate children and that it had declined the American offer “because it involves whole families and raises legal and financial issues”.
According to Le Temps, the US offer still stands and could be negotiated. For example, Washington recently repatriated Jihadis to some Balkan countries for free.
Situation worse
The situation has got worse in Syria since the original offer, Swiss public television RTS, which picked up the storyExternal link, pointed out. Some experts say that due to the risk of escape from Kurdish captors, it would better guarantee Switzerland’s security to repatriate the Swiss jihadists. Two of them held important positions within IS.
Swiss politician Carlo Sommaruga, who has long argued for Jihadi travellers to be returned, told RTS that he was surprised to learn that Washington’s offer was still allegedly on the table.
“Repatriation is controversial because it’s difficult to put these Jihadis on trial on Switzerland, especially because there are only some elements of proof that you can only find on the ground. Much of this is held by the Americans who have confiscated a huge amount of data which belongs to the Islamic State organisation,” Sommaruga told RTS. He added that discussions would be needed with the US to gain access to these elements of proof.
More
More
Switzerland pursues dozens of cases against jihadi suspects
This content was published on
Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is currently pursuing criminal proceedings in some 70 cases linked to jihadi terrorism.
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
Glacier collapses burying large parts of Swiss village Blatten
This content was published on
A gigantic avalanche of ice, mud and debris has buried a large part of the village of Blatten after a major glacier collapsed.
Swiss government seeks better labour integration of Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
The Swiss government has now set a goal of 50% of Ukrainian refugees to be in employment by the end of 2025, compared with 38% at present.
Swiss government greenlights Ruag sale of Leopard tanks to Germany
This content was published on
The defence company Ruag MRO is allowed to sell 71 Leopard 1 battle tanks to Germany. However, the tanks may not be sold to Ukraine.
Foie gras sold in Switzerland must declare painful production process
This content was published on
Starting July 1, the sale of foie gras in Switzerland must make reference to the painful procedures performed on the animal.
Swiss economics minister seeks progress on US tariff negotiations by July
This content was published on
Swiss Economics Minister Guy Parmelin is hoping for results in the tariff negotiations with the US by the beginning of July.
UN weather agency expects new temperature record soon
This content was published on
A new global temperature record is likely to be set in the next five years, according to the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva.
Geneva proposed as possible site for Ukraine-Russia talks
This content was published on
US special representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has said that Geneva is being considered as a venue for talks between Russia and Ukraine.
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.
Read more
More
Spying, terrorism and the far-right worry Swiss authorities
This content was published on
Russian spying activity in Switzerland continues at a high level, while economic espionage by China is also a leading concern, say authorities.
This content was published on
Five people were deported for being a threat to national security in Switzerland last year, down from 13 in 2017, the Federal Office of Police says.
Swiss administrator of Jihadi recruitment site fined
This content was published on
Man accused of acting as the admin for a website used to recruit people for the Jihadi cause has been ordered to pay fines by the justice authorities.
This content was published on
Switzerland is creating a pool of experts to help local authorities deal with suspected jihadist fighters returning from combat zones such as Syria.
This content was published on
A Swiss woman has been given a partially suspended 18-month jail sentence after she tried to travel to Syria to join Islamic State (IS).
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.