France under obligation to repatriate all French nationals from Syria: Attorney general

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - France’s attorney general at the Court of Cassation on Monday underlined the principle of “state obligation” to repatriate all French nationals living in terror camps in Syria.

“We have to bring all of them back,” Francois Molins told RTL radio.

This came days after the government, in a major policy shift, set aside its case-by-case approach and repatriated 51 French mothers and minor children on July 5 from Syria’s northeastern territory that was previously held by the Daesh/ISIS terror group.

"These children are in a situation for which they are not responsible. The State has a positive obligation towards them to bring them back," he said.

Of the 16 women, eight were charged with criminal and terrorist association and taken into custody.

As a public prosecutor in 2016, Molins had expressed concern over the radicalization of women repatriated from Syria who he said were “going to be real-time bombs.”

He reaffirmed on Monday that there is a “terrorist threat” posed by the lot recently brought back to France and highlighted the need to ensure “a long-term psychological follow-up."

Molins also placed confidence in the country’s judicial system – which recently delivered judgment in the Paris terror attacks.

He said France has the means and capacity to conduct a trial of a few dozen more suspected women terrorists.

Among those imprisoned includes the UN and the US-listed most dangerous terrorist French convert Emilie Konig, who incited people to join and live in the Daesh/ISIS-held territory.

Eighteen women repatriated in 2016 are presently serving prison sentences.

Around 1,300 French nationals are estimated to have traveled to Syria and Iraq since the armed conflict erupted in the region.

Many of these fighters and ISIS/Daesh supporters had children and are stuck in the camps as France opposed their repatriation fearing the export of “highly radicalized” individuals back home.

A UN Committee on Child rights also condemned France for exposing minors to inhuman treatment in the camps.