Law Prevents Danish Authorities From Taking Hard Line on Jihadists

Denmark organizes a rehab for Danish-born jihadists returning to the country after participating the Syrian conflict as the only legal measure available for authorities against jihadist threat.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova – A so-called rehab for Danish-born jihadists returning to the country after taking part in the Syrian conflict is the only legal measure available for Danish authorities in countering the jihadist threat, a spokesman for the municipality of the second largest city in Denmark told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"In the light of the current legislation under what it is not illegal to travel to Syria and come back, […] the only alternative to what we [currently do] […] is not doing anything," Michael Schroder, spokesperson for the Aarhus municipality, said.

In many parts of Europe, governments are coming under pressure from the public to demonstrate that effective measures are being taken to counter fears about the threat of terrorist attacks.

In a vast majority of EU member-states, including Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Norway the answer to this pressure has been to detain returnees, or put them under investigation.

Denmark, with Europe's highest rate of foreign fighters traveling to Syria or other Middle Eastern countries to fight alongside Islamists, is running a de-radicalization program, that is tied to current legislation.

Schroder noted, that the de-radicalization program was created in 2007, when the police and the city "formulated a policy to prevent radicalization and discrimination in Aarhus due to challenges with political extremism." This program is a joint effort by police, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) and social services.

According to Schroder, as of today, "an extensive network has been built from which information flows to "Info-hus" [Info-house], which is the place to call if parents, social workers, teachers, youth club workers or the police have concerns for people who are at risk of being radicalized."

The so-called jihadists' rehab includes individual counseling and advice for returnees and their families, and offers information on their risk of prosecution, risk of physical dangers, psychological trauma, and indirect effects on family and friends.

Some Danish parties, including the anti-immigration People's Party, have criticized Aarhus over de-radicalization program, calling it "soft", "naive" and "shortsighted". Others called for revoking citizenship and jail time for returning jihadists.

Schroder stressed that according to current Danish law, the people who returned from Syria after fighting alongside the Islamic State, can be detained and prosecuted only "if authorities can prove what they did while they were in Syria is illegal according to Danish legislation."

As of late last year, according to the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, roughly 100 Danish Muslims were believed to have left for Syria or Iraq. Nearly 50 of those have since returned to Denmark.