Returning foreign fighters: the law and implications for Canadian national security policy

ABSTRACT

With the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) now appearing as if it has lost the ability to control territory and many of its members fleeing the region, the Canadian government must now address the possibility of citizens who have become “foreign fighters” returning home, radicalized and prepared to commit acts of terror. This compels officials from Public Safety Canada to ask important questions about who these radicals are, what they will do next, and what can be done to protect Canadians if they come home. This paper reviews the international and domestic legal framework as applied in Canada and discusses how authorities are seeking to apply the law to returning foreign fighters. The paper then inquiries into the legal implications of returning foreign fighters. It is contended that while Canada’s legal system offers an adequate response for the time being, it does not guarantee security and may have significant loopholes which could constrain its application. To counter this, authorities must continue to develop and adapt broader policy approaches in order to deal with an undefined and emerging threat.

RÉSUMÉ

L’État islamique en Irak et au Levant (EIIL) ayant, semble-t-il, perdu la capacité de contrôler un territoire, et nombreux étant ses membres à fuir la région, le gouvernement canadien doit maintenant faire face à la possibilité que certains de ses citoyens qui sont devenus des « combattants étrangers » reviennent dans leur pays en étant radicalisés et prêts à commettre des actes terroristes. Cela contraint les représentants de la Sécurité publique canadienne à s’interroger sur qui sont ces radicaux, ce qu’ils feront désormais et, s’ils reviennent au Canada, ce qui peut être fait pour protéger les Canadiens. Cet article passe en revue le cadre juridique international et domestique, tel qu’il est appliqué au Canada, et traite de la manière dont les autorités cherchent à appliquer la loi aux combattants étrangers qui reviennent. Ensuite, l’article s’interroge sur les implications juridiques du rapatriement des combattants étrangers. Il est admis que si le système juridique canadien offre une réponse adéquate pour l’instant, il ne garantit pas la sécurité et pourrait avoir beaucoup d’importantes lacunes pouvant restreindre son application. Afin de contrer cette possibilité, les autorités doivent continuer à développer et adapter des approches politiques plus larges, permettant de gérer une menace non-définie et émergente.

KEYWORDS:

• Foreign fighters
• national security
• law
• Islamic State
• public safety

Acknowledgements

The author extends his sincere appreciation and thanks to Professor Jeffrey Smith of McGill University whose encouragement, guidance, and support introduced me to the study of law. The author would also like to thank the anonymous peer reviewers who contributed their time and expertise for their encouraging and positive comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Mike G. Fejes is a PhD student at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, where he specializes in International Conflict. He holds a BA (Hons) and an MA from the University of Manitoba and is currently a serving officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. His research interests include foreign policy analysis, comparative defence policy, and the contemporary use of armed force.

Notes

1. For additional detail on how the threat of terrorism has been greatly exaggerated in North American, see Mueller and Stewart (2015).

2. For a lengthy discussion regarding the merits of the Bill, see Forcese and Roach (2015a).

3. For a summation on the different options and programs regarding extra-legal methods and de-radicalization, see Gurski (2016b, pp. 131–147). The author argues that the best response will include all stakeholders – but that it is essential our law enforcement organizations have the tools and the latitude to detect and stop terrorism.