Outrage as over 400 ISIS fighters return to UK without being put on trial

Nearly half the 850 jihadis deemed to be a risk to Britain's national security who fought for in Syria have yet to face justice despite returning to the UK, a report has found. Jihadis from the group, also known as IS, Daesh and ISIL, waged terrifying campaigns of terror, murder and rape in Syria and . Some 5,000 Yazidis were killed and more than 200,000 displaced under the group's reign of terror. A total of 2,700 women and children were abducted and remain missing.

A report from Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) published on Tuesday (May 13) showed there have been zero successful prosecutions in UK courts for international crimes committed by ISIS in Syria and Iraq despite the British Government's recognition the group committed acts of genocide. Committee Chair, Lord David Alton, said: "This is not something the UK can simply wash its hands of because it happened overseas."

He added: "We know British nationals committed the most horrendous crimes in Iraq and Syria under the Daesh regime and we have a duty to see them brought to justice. To date, no Daesh fighters have been successfully prosecuted for international crimes in the UK and we find this unacceptable."

Bethan David, head of the Counter Terrorism Division at the Crown Prosecution Service, told the committee that considering the number of Daesh fighters who have returned to the UK, those referred to the CPS for a charging decision was "minimal".

Lord Alton said the committee wants more action from the Government to identify the culprits, some of whom he warned may have returned to Britain, with others "likely detained" in camps in Syria.

Committee members also urged the Government to recognise the deplorable conditions in which children with British citizenship are being held in Syria. Lord Alton said: "It is in the UK's interest to ensure they do not become a new generation of the radicalised and they must be brought home."

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told : "Terrorists in the Middle East are not welcome in the UK. They have forfeited their right to live here with their appalling crimes. Those that have made it back from ISIS need to be locked up and kept away from the public."

A Government spokesperson said the priority remains maintaining the safety and security of the UK, adding: "We are committed to achieving accountability for all victims of Daesh's crimes. We will consider the findings of this report."

The report says the focus of the police and CPS has been on investigating and prosecuting individuals for terrorism offences rather than international crimes such as genocide and war crimes.

It adds that currently domestic law provides for a "limited" form of jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

UK authorities can only prosecute these offences where they have been committed by UK nationals, residents or persons subject to service personnel jurisdiction.

The report says this leaves an "impunity gap" and calls for the removal of the nationality and residency requirements to allow for the UK to exercise universal jurisdiction over such international crimes.