Begum: ‘The Government is making an example of me’
Isis bride Shamima Begum has accused the British Government of ‘‘making an example’’ of her by stripping her of UK citizenship, as she admits she now regrets speaking out about her situation.
Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph from the al-Hol camp in Syria, the 19-year-old from east London said she might have been able keep her UK passport if her case had not attracted so much attention.
Begum said: ‘‘They are making an example of me. I regret speaking to the media. I wish I had stayed low and found a different way to contact my family. That’s why I spoke to the newspaper.’’
The teenager is living with her week-old son, Jarrah, in the camp.
‘‘They gave me my own tent. They’re being a bit nice to me right now because I’m all over the news,’’ she said.
Begum is one of three British women in the camp, according to Kurdish officials, but around a dozen more are expected to arrive after fleeing the village of Baghouz, where IS is making its last stand. Hundreds of women and children remain in the last pocket of IS territory.
Civilians who yesterday left the area said that the remaining jihadists would fight to the death and that women would take up arms in the final battle.
Asked about the women believed to have stayed there, Ms Begum said: ‘‘If they want to stay, that’s their choice. You can’t force them to come here.’’
– Telegraph Group