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France ‘will intervene’ if jihadist nationals sentenced to death in Middle East

France ‘will intervene’ if jihadist nationals sentenced to death in Middle East
Copyright  REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
Copyright  REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
By Alice Cuddy
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The comments came after an Iraqi court sentenced a German woman to death for belonging to the so-called Islamic State.

France has said it “will intervene” if its nationals are sentenced to death in Iraq or Syria for belonging to jihadist groups.

"Of course if there was a question of the death penalty, the French state will intervene," Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet told French media outlets on Sunday.

When pressed about what this meant, she said France would “negotiate with the state in question… on a case-by-case basis.”

The remarks came after an Iraqi court last week sparked controversy by sentencing a German woman to death after finding her guilty of belonging to the Islamic State jihadist group.

French citizens are estimated to be among the biggest contingent of overseas fighters who have joined the jihadists.

According to its national intelligence services, 690 French nationals were fighting alongside jihadists in Iraq and Syria as of November.

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