UN warns about ISIS fighters returning due to EU’s open borders

A statement released by Vladamir Voronkov, the Under-Secretary-General at the Office of Counterterrorism at the UN has stated that the so-called Islamic State terror organisation has over £300 million pounds despite being defeated in Iraq and Syria. Mr Voronkov’s statement also says that mainland Europe and Britain is the subject of a specific threat as a result of large numbers of former ISIS fighters returning as a result of the EU’s open borders.

 The statement released on Tuesday stated, “It capitalizes on its affiliates and inspired attacks and has an estimated residual wealth of up to three hundred million dollars at its disposal”. This is likely to cause concern to British security and intelligence services.  The report also describes “acute concerns” over returnees and puts an “initial estimate” of between 24,000 and 30,000. Finally, Mr Voronkov stated “The territorial defeat of ISIL was not a fatal blow. ISIL continues to evolve into a covert network and to aspire to global relevance”. 

This report comes after a lengthy report in the New York Times last week that stated, “the terrorist group is gathering new strength, conducting guerrilla attacks across Iraq and Syria, retooling its financial networks and targeting new recruits at an allied-run tent camp”. The news outlet cited American and Iraqi military and intelligence officers as their source. Whilst some may suggest that this does not pose an imminent threat on British soil, the report stated “major concerns” around the risk of “homegrown terrorism” in a period when former ISIS members are returning to the continent. 

As well as describing present challenges the report cites an increase in women becoming involved as a heightened risk to places of worship “which may indicate a new trend.” Whilst these developments have been widely ignored by the MSM, the developments have received considerable coverage in the USA. The Arab weekly website states that whilst ISIS has been defeated territorially its ideology will never be eradicated at the present due to “Iran-sponsored sectarianism in Iraq and Syria (that) is yet to be addressed and this is a key issue that steadily feeds ISIS with recruits.”

Please have a look around our newly designed website for other topical articles!

Oliver Down

Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!

[sibwp_form id=4]