May tells G7 Syria fighters must face justice

Leading a session on counter-terrorism at the G7 summit in Taormina, Sicily, the Prime Minister said they needed to be prepared to share their expertise with the countries the fighters travel to and fight in.

The summit also saw Mrs May challenge US president Donald Trump over leaks of information on the investigation into the Manchester suicide bombing.

Downing Street said Mrs May and Mr Trump had noted there had been “strong agreement” in discussions so far that the G7 should do more collectively on counter-terrorism.

“The two leaders also agreed the importance of free trade, while ensuring that people are not left behind by globalisation,” a spokesman said.

A senior Government source said in wider discussions about foreing fighters at the summit, Mrs May had made the point that it was important to ensure those countries had the legal means to prosecute, deport or extradite suspects as appropriate.

The Prime Minister warned that as the fighters returned to their home countries they posed a new terrorist threat.

She called on the G7 members to provide legal and policing support to countries such as Iraq, to help them prosecute any foreign fighters they capture.

Mrs May said: “It is vital we do more to cooperate with our partners in the region to step up returns and prosecutions of foreign fighters.

“This means improving intelligence-sharing, evidence gathering and bolstering countries’ police and legal processes.”

Mrs May said G7 members needed to be able to share data securely on foreign fighters so they can be tracked as they cross borders and decisions made on whether they should be arrested.

This would include sharing the identities of foreign fighters who may try to pass through third countries on the way back home.

When evidence was found of illegal activity involving British fighters, she said it should be passed on to the relevant UK authorities so they could be prosecuted on their return.

The case of London-born jihadi Aine Davis, who was jailed in Turkey, is an example of the co-operation Mrs May wants to see.

Davis was suspected of having been part of a four-strong Islamist terror cell dubbed The Beatles along with Mohammed Emwazi, the killer nicknamed Jihadi John.

He was convicted of being a member of a terrorist organisation and jailed for seven and a half years earlier this month.

The trial heard how he had been tracked by Turkish police and intelligence officials days after being smuggled out of Syria by Daesh.