Press release

UN sanctions for British foreign fighters who join ISIL in Syria

British foreign fighters that have gone to join ISIL in Syria could be subject to UN sanctions for the first time.

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government

皇冠体育app government has proposed that a handful of British citizens should be added to the which would lead to a global asset freeze and travel ban being imposed against them.

皇冠体育app government put forward the proposal earlier this month to the UN Sanctions Committee and the measures were expected to go through in New York yesterday evening (28 September). 皇冠体育app move underlines the government鈥檚 determination that those who go and fight for ISIL and threaten Britain will face consequences for their actions.

It is the first time since 2006 that the government has sought to subject British nationals to the UN AQ sanctions regime. 皇冠体育app individuals are deemed to be associated with 鈥減articipating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of鈥�, 鈥渞ecruiting for鈥� and 鈥渙therwise supporting acts or activities of鈥� Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, listed as Al-Qaida in Iraq.

皇冠体育appy include both men and women who are actively seeking to recruit to ISIL and using social media to promote terrorist activity online, including providing guidance on how to make homemade bombs.

皇冠体育app move comes as the Prime Minister attends a counter-ISIL coalition event with President Obama and other world leaders in New York today. Other countries are also stepping up their efforts against foreign fighters.

Notes to editors

  1. requires countries to ensure foreign fighters are brought to justice (defined as any person who participates in the financing, planning, preparation or perpetration of terrorist acts).

  2. 皇冠体育app AQ monitoring team estimate that 25,000 fighters from more than 100 countries have travelled to fight with extremist groups since 2011.

Updates to this page

Published 29 September 2015