Quora Answer: Do People Who Support Shamima Begum Support ISIS de Facto?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Do people who support Shamima Begum support ISIS de facto?”

That is a ridiculous leap of logic.  Some people are opposed to her being barred from returning to the UK on principal.  They reason, quite rightly, that this is a slippery slope since she is not even a combatant, and this is a breach of international law.  Does this mean that the UK is going to ignore inconvenient international laws and conventions?  If she does, what moral authority does she have to demand the same of others?  What credibility does she have to avail herself to supranational organisations?  If the UK can revoke the citizenship of someone for what is essentially political reasons, how long before this is tested against people supporting governments and entities the current government does not approve of? 

From an intelligence and law enforcement perspective, it is illogical to simply revoke the citizenship of Shamima.  She is a source of intelligence on how ISIS radicalises, recruits and works.  She gets away with sedition and actively supporting an entity waging war against the state.  It would better serve the state that she be brought back, tried, and sentenced.  This sends the message that no one gets away from the law.

From the perspective of people involved in deradicalisation efforts, and counselling, they believe, rightly or wrongly, that she is a victim herself, and she should be counselled.  Some believe she is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome and a form of PTSD, leading to this state of denial.  Personally, I do not believe this, but there are people who do.

None of these perspectives, amongst many more, is remotely related to supporting ISIS.