Swedish terrorism expert Magnus Ranstorp has recommended that the Swedish government should not allow female Islamic State members to return, citing a lack of laws to prosecute them.
While he criticised the deficiency in the Swedish legal system, Ranstorp praised neighbouring Norway, saying, “As Norway has functioning terror legislation, the Norwegian women should be brought home and prosecuted. The child welfare service should take care of the children,” Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reports.
“The Norwegians should be retrieved and prosecuted. There are few individuals. They are citizens and have rights,” he suggested.
“But I do not think the Swedish women and the children will come back. We do not have a good system to take care of them and make sure they are not dangerous,” Ranstorp added.
The terror expert added that there has been a shift in opinion on the topic of Islamic State women and noted: “Previously, one had an attitude that the women were not so dangerous. Now we know that they are at least as active as men. Some are very radical and have shown malice by acting as morality police against other women. They should be considered dangerous, even though they may not be.”
Several Islamic State women including German national Jennifer W. and the former UK citizen Shamima Begum were revealed to have been members of the terror group’s so-called morality police.
According to Norwegian law, those who participate in the Islamic State can be brought to trial and face prison time, but according to Ranstorp that is not the case in Sweden. Of the 150 or so Islamic State members who have returned to Sweden, none have been prosecuted for participation, according to the terror expert.
Some of those who have returned from the Middle East have even been allegedly recruiting at underground mosques in the city of Malmö, according to reports from earlier this year.
Lawyer Jan Glent, who prosecutes returning fighters in Norway, agreed with Ranstorp saying: “Sweden does not have a completely developed terrorist law.”
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