Terrorists Repudiate Their Own Citizenship

Abstract

This commentary reflects on the changing nature of terror and of citizenship, which militates against the notion of “cruel” banishment. First, Islamist terror is conducted against indiscriminate “citizens”, so that stripping terrorists of their citizenship seems just the adequate response. Secondly, citizenship is ever more privilege and contract, so it is odd to conceive of it as something that can never be lost. In fact, terrorists repudiate their own citizenship.