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The government should consider chartering flights to Syria for UK fanatics who want to join ISIS, a former counter-terrorism police chief has suggested.
Bob Quick, a former Scotland Yard assistant commissioner, said it could be safer to help British extremists leave the country and ban them from returning by withdrawing their passports.
The comments are likely to spark anger, with ministers increasingly concerned at the threat posed to Britain by the growing power of the self-styled Islamic State.
It comes after Tony Blair warned ISIS fanatics were now on the 'edges of Europe' and needed to be tackled 'on the ground'.
Mr Blair warned that if the international community was not prepared to tackle extremists groups such as Islamic State head on they would continue to grow.
Speaking on the tenth anniversary of the July 7 atrocities, Mr Quick agreed that the terrorism threat facing the UK now was greater than a decade ago.
He said the emergence of ISIS in Syria had transformed the nature of the threat, but suggested it might be safer to let terrorists leave Britain than try to keep them in the country.
More than 700 Britons are believed to have travelled to Syria, many to join ISIS - with around half returning.
Speaking to the Guardian, Mr Quick said those wanting to join ISIS should be allowed to go but have to hand their British passports in as they leave.
He said: 'You have to think how do you confront it, if you have hundreds or thousands who want to go there and live that life? We should try and convince them not to go.
'If they want to go, you have to ask the question, are we better off, if they surrender their passports and go? It's better than them festering away here.
'Should we say we'll lay on charter flights to Syria; turn up with your passport and if you are over 18, if this is the life you want, then go?'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3152265/Britain-lay-FLIGHTS-Syria-Islamist-fanatics-want-join-ISIS-says-former-anti-terror-police-chief.html#ixzz3fDscKs9Z
Bob Quick, a former Scotland Yard assistant commissioner, said it could be safer to help British extremists leave the country and ban them from returning by withdrawing their passports.
The comments are likely to spark anger, with ministers increasingly concerned at the threat posed to Britain by the growing power of the self-styled Islamic State.
It comes after Tony Blair warned ISIS fanatics were now on the 'edges of Europe' and needed to be tackled 'on the ground'.
Mr Blair warned that if the international community was not prepared to tackle extremists groups such as Islamic State head on they would continue to grow.
Speaking on the tenth anniversary of the July 7 atrocities, Mr Quick agreed that the terrorism threat facing the UK now was greater than a decade ago.
He said the emergence of ISIS in Syria had transformed the nature of the threat, but suggested it might be safer to let terrorists leave Britain than try to keep them in the country.
More than 700 Britons are believed to have travelled to Syria, many to join ISIS - with around half returning.
Speaking to the Guardian, Mr Quick said those wanting to join ISIS should be allowed to go but have to hand their British passports in as they leave.
He said: 'You have to think how do you confront it, if you have hundreds or thousands who want to go there and live that life? We should try and convince them not to go.
'If they want to go, you have to ask the question, are we better off, if they surrender their passports and go? It's better than them festering away here.
'Should we say we'll lay on charter flights to Syria; turn up with your passport and if you are over 18, if this is the life you want, then go?'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3152265/Britain-lay-FLIGHTS-Syria-Islamist-fanatics-want-join-ISIS-says-former-anti-terror-police-chief.html#ixzz3fDscKs9Z
