Foreign Fighters and the Death Penalty Debate

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Department: Home Office

Foreign Fighters and the Death Penalty

Sammy Wilson Excerpts
Monday 23rd July 2018

(6 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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The new Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill increases some of the maximum sentences available. On the wider area of my hon. Friend’s point about prevention, that is why we embrace and promote the Prevent policy in Contest.

Sammy Wilson Portrait Sammy Wilson (East Antrim) (DUP)
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These terrorists sneaked out of the UK to join a bunch of murderers who were at war with this country, and they then publicly boasted about beheading and torturing innocent hostages. Does the Minister not agree that it would be a betrayal of their victims and of this country if he did not supply information to the United States which would enable these people to be brought to justice and held to account, and that our only concern should be that that is what happens and that the US courts hand out whatever sentence they believe these people deserve?

Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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It is of course a general policy and principle that we will do what we can to help acquire or share evidence with our allies to bring to justice people who have perpetrated violence through terrorism or any other offence against citizens, whether our citizens or those of other countries. I will not talk about this individual case and the United States, but the reality is that we should, of course, work to make sure that people face justice, but that justice must be in line with international law and our values, and with the due process that should be awarded to people who are innocent until proven guilty.