Foreign (terrorist) fighters and their families in Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, (northwestern) Russia and their impact on Estonia

Abstract

Foreign terrorist fighters (the FTFs) or jihadist terrorists and their wives and children returning to their countries of origin after the fall of the ISIS caliphate in Syria has created a great pressure on the institutions of the EU member states. Revoking citizenship and leaving wives and children of FTFs in refugee camps leads to further radicalisation of these people, and they’re perishing in harsh conditions. Repatriation, however, puts returnees in a hazy status between national security threats and subjects of reintegration. Hence, interinstitutional, cross-sector and multi-agency cooperation is vital to deradicalise and reintegrate FTFs and their families, prosecute adults for committed offenses, and help children overcome the traumas they received during their time in ISIS.