(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s governing coalition has agreed to strip fighters of the “Islamic State” (IS) militant group of their citizenship, according to German outlets Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR and WDR.
The new law would apply only to jihadis who are of age, have a second nationality and take part in future battles as part of IS. It would not be applied retrospectively, and thus would not affect IS fighters who are currently imprisoned.
Germany’s Nationality Act already includes a similar rule for dual nationals who join “the armed forces or a comparable armed unit” of another country without the permission of the German Defense Ministry.
The new legislation would expand the Nationality Act to apply to someone who “takes part in combat operations abroad for a terrorist militia,” which is defined as an “armed paramilitary organization” that violates international law in order to “establish a new state or state structures.”
