Derbyshire’s Chief Constable has made a stark warning about fanatical extremists who left the county to fight for Islamic State, admitting he fears some fighters will return home "even more radicalised".
Peter Goodman has shared his fears about terrorist atrocities, admitting the thought of them being committed by people from Derbyshire keeps him "awake at night".
Despite Mr Goodman’s worries that "a number" of people are expected to come back as the terror group's three-year reign in Syria is hopefully coming to an end, he said authorities and experts are on standby to monitor those who are most high-risk.
In an interview with our sister newspaper the Derby Telegraph, he said: "These people pose a real risk to us. They are going to come back having lived in a theatre of war with the horrors that brings. They are going to come back much more hardened.
"They will come back having learned the crafts of war and even more radicalised."
Research by security analysis group the Soufan Centre has estimated that at least 425 British Islamic State members have so far returned to the UK – the largest cohort in Europe.
Mr Goodman also said he feared those returning would have experience in weapons. He added: "It's the fear of terrorism that keeps me awake at night. Some of them are going to come back trained in the use of firearms."
The chief constable said returning extremists would be monitored and could be put through the Government's Prevent programme, which aims to de-radicalise extremists by making them more integrated into British society.
Although Prevent's priority is safeguarding, it also works to disrupt those that do not accept support offered to them by various agencies, which include councils, schools and mental health services.
Earlier this year police revealed more than 100 Derbyshire people a year were being referred to the Prevent programme over fears they are extremists.
Officers gave details of how they helped a homeless man who a group of Muslim extremists in Derby were trying to radicalise, and closed down meetings spreading messages of hate.
Mr Goodman said: "If they [those returning] pose a high-risk then they will be monitored and others could be managed through Prevent."
A spokesman for the Home Office said: "Anyone who returns from taking part in the conflict in Syria or Iraq must expect to be investigated by the police to determine if they have committed criminal offences, and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security.
"Where there is evidence that crimes have been committed, those responsible should expect to be prosecuted for them."
The spokesman said a decision on whether to prosecute would be taken by the police and Crown Prosecution Service.
He added: "Others returning to the UK may be radicalised or vulnerable to radicalisation, so we must mitigate the risk they pose to others by challenging their views or supporting them as appropriate, alongside criminal or other sanctions if necessary."
