Photo: UNHCR/G. Gubaeva
NIT – Islamic terrorists and militants are taking their horror to new levels, with publicized beheadings and mass shootings and rapes of nearly anyone in their path. And some Americans are joining the fight.
The latest incarnation of this conglomeration of barbaric groups is called ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) or ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) and is wreaking havoc across southern Syria and Northern and Central Iraq while claiming religious authority over all Muslims.
In general ISIS or ISIL hates Americans, but not enough to keep them from joining in their vicious fight in the sands of the Middle East. It has now been reported that some American citizens have packed up and left home to participate in the war, mostly being fought by Kurds, overmatched Iraqi soldiers and an ever-increasing American presence in Iraq. ABC reported this week that at least a dozen Americans have joined ISIS-ISIL.
Debate is now underway on what exactly should be done with Americans who join ISIS-ISIL or who attempt to join.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz is introducing legislation to come down hard on these folks, who many call “traitors”.
“Americans who choose to go to Syria or Iraq to fight with vicious ISIS terrorists are party to a terrorist organization committing horrific acts of violence, including beheading innocent American journalists who they have captured,” Crus said Saturday.
“There can be no clearer renunciation of their citizenship in the United States, and we need to do everything we can to preempt any attempt on their part to re-enter our country and carry out further attacks on American civilians.”
On Friday, Crus announced his intent to file the Expatriate Terrorist Act (E.T.A.) of 2014 as soon as the Senate is called back into session on Monday, September 8th.
The ETA amends an existing statute that provides certain actions by which a United States citizen renounces their citizenship to include becoming a member of, fighting for, or providing material assistance to a designated foreign terrorist organization that is working to attack the United States or its citizens. Provided the requirements of due process are observed, if a U.S. Citizen undertakes these acts with the intent of supplanting his U.S. Citizenship with loyalty to a terrorist organization, that person can be deemed to have forfeited their right to be a United States Citizen and return to the United States.
What is your opinion on the fate of Americans who elect to join terrorist organizations who have declared their intent to destroy America?
