Staffanstorp has become Sweden’s first municipality to completely reject the idea of helping Daesh terrorists “re-integrate” into society with the help of public funds. No resources should be wasted on helping the terrorists, the municipality said. These plans, however, have been met with a backlash from legal professionals.
In a national first, the Staffanstorp municipality in Sweden’s southernmost Skåne County intends to deprive jihadists and people who have supported terrorism all municipal services, signalling that they are not welcome.
“If you have joined a terrorist organisation, you have hereby turned away from the democratic society and the welfare systems we have in place. This means you are no longer covered by them”, Staffanstorp municipality board chairman Christian Sonesson of the Moderate Party told Swedish Radio.
On his Facebook page, Sonesson described his municipality as “the first one in Sweden to stand on the victims’ side”, while publishing the bill.
In his proposal, Christian Sonesson made it clear that people who have supported terrorism will not receive housing, benefits, adult education or other forms of municipal support. According to Sonesson, one doesn’t have to be a convicted terrorist to be denied municipal services.
“We make an initial assessment, and if we suspect you have joined any terrorist organisation, you will be no longer covered by the municipality”, Sonesson explained. “The person in question is free to appeal our decision”, he added.