There was talk of only letting in women and children from Islamist nations. That would reduce 75% of the ISIS members entering the US.
A disturbing 25 percent of the foreigners who joined ISIS in Iraq and Syria were women and children, according to a report delivered this week to the United Nations Security Council. The findings were from a study of ISIS foreigners by the UK-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR).
Key points from the report include:
- 41,490 international citizens from 80 countries became affiliated with IS in Iraq and Syria
- Up to 4,761 (13%) of these were recorded to be women, and 4,640 (12%) of these minors
- Eastern Asia saw the highest proportion of recorded IS-affiliated women and minors at up to 70%, followed by Eastern Europe (44%); Western Europe (42%); the Americas, Australia and New Zealand (36%); Central Asia (30%); South-Eastern Asia (35%); Southern Asia (27%); Middle East and North Africa (MENA, 8%); and sub-Saharan Africa (<1%)
- The number of recorded infants born inside the IS’ ‘caliphate’ to international parents – at least 730 – has also led to an underestimation of minors that must now be accounted for as foreign returnees.
- ICSR recorded up to 7,366 persons have now returned to their home countries (20%), or appear to be in repatriation processes to do so.
- Women and minors affiliated with and inspired by IS have already demonstrated their prominence as security threats, with numerous foiled and successful attacks plotted and carried out globally.