Families of "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) elements who have supported their sons' involvement with the group will not be allowed to return to their areas of residence in Salaheddine province for a period of no less than 10 years, the Salaheddine provincial council announced August 30th.

The decision also includes freezing the assets of any person proven guilty of joining ISIL, including residential, agricultural and commercial real estate, and automobiles, said Salaheddine provincial council member Hardan Lafta.

The move came after lengthy consultations that had spanned several council meetings this year, attended by representatives of various security agencies, he told Diyaruna.

"The decision aims to prevent the return of people who harbour terrorists and to deter any attempt by ISIL's gangs to infiltrate the province under any kind of cover in order to undermine its security and threaten the safety of its people," Lafta said.

The measure does not apply to families who have disowned their sons for joining ISIL, reported on them to the security authorities or vowed not to harbour them, he said.

It also urges judicial authorities to prosecute ISIL elements, expedite the resolution of lawsuits against them and deliver them just punishment for the crimes they have committed, he said.

"With this step we seek to ensure the stability of our province and keep it away from harm," he said. "No one wants to go back to those dark days when terrorists controlled people's fate."

"Terrorism has become a thing of the past and we now look forward to rebuilding our areas," he added.

Identifying families

A joint committee made up of members of the provincial council and security agencies will be set up to initiate the procedures of identifying terrorists and their family members, said Jassim al-Jabara, chairman of the council's security committee.

"We will compile a full database of all families whose members have joined ISIL and who were proven to have helped them, offered them support and harboured them," he told Diyaruna. "Those will not be able to return to their areas in the province and are currently subject to legal penalties."

"By taking this precautionary measure, the council aims to consolidate security in the province," he said.

"To allow [these families to return] will send us back to square one and bring back terrorist sleeper cells," he added.

The rapid spread of ISIL elements in Salaheddine after the group invaded Mosul in June 2014 was the result of sleeper cells in the province, said Iraqi MP for Salaheddine Badr al-Fahl.

The council's decision will apply to immediate family members of terrorists -- father, mother and siblings, he told Diyaruna.

Maintaining security

"Now that the province has been liberated from the terrorists, local officials are seeking to stop them from exploiting any opportunity to establish a foothold in order to undermine stability and resume their criminal activities in safe areas," he said.

The fate of ISIL elements and the family members who have supported them "now lies in the hands of security forces and the judiciary", al-Fahl said.

"Terrorists or their families have no place in our province," said Tikrit resident Hassan al-Jubury.

"ISIL has displaced us, ruined our areas and permitted everything that is forbidden," he told Diyaruna. "We do not want anybody linked to terrorism to return."

The council's decision is an important step "to ensure that stability and security in the province will be maintained", he said.