Police ‘need to rule out danger’

Teenager’s unborn child ‘blameless’

THE unborn baby of runaway schoolgirl Shamima Begum, who travelled to Syria to join Islamic State, is of “paramount concern”, her family have said.

In a statement issued to ITV News, they said the revelation the 19-year-old is still alive came as a shock to them all as they urged the Government to help her and her child return to Britain.

“Given Shamima’s four-year ordeal, we are concerned that her mental health has been affected by everything that she has seen and endured,” they said.

“Now, we are faced with the situation of knowing that Shamima’s two young children have died – children that we will never come to know as a family. This is the hardest of news to bear.

“The welfare of Shamima’s unborn baby is of paramount concern to our family, and we will do everything within our power to protect that baby who is entirely blameless in these events.”

Speaking to The Times at a refugee camp in northern Syria, Ms Begum said she would “do anything required just to be able to come home and live quietly with my child”.

During the interview she admitted that she did not regret travelling to IS-controlled Syria and asserted she was “not the same silly little 15-year-old schoolgirl who ran away from Bethnal Green four years ago”.

In the statement her family issued last night, they said they were shocked by what she had said in the interview, with her words those “of a girl who was groomed”.

“We are also mindful that ANYONE returning from a conflict zone after going in support of a terrorist group should expect to be investigated, said the head of Counter Terrorism Policing.

Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: “This is to determine if individuals have committed any terrorist or other criminal offences, regardless of their motivation, and to ensure that they do not pose a danger to the public or the UK’s national security.”

He said there could be “no hope” of repatriation without such investigation, and anyone returning could, at best, expect to live under stringent limitations set out under counter-terrorism legislation.

Shamima is currently in a camp surrounded by IS sympathisers and any comments by her could lead directly to danger to her and her child,” they added.

Her family said her unborn child, who will be British, has “every right as a total innocent to have the chance to grow up in the peace and security of this home”.

“We welcome an investigation in what she did while she was there under the principles of British justice and would request the British government assist us in returning Shamima and her child to the UK as a matter of urgency,” the statement said.

It came after the head of MI6 warned that Britons returning from IS were likely to have acquired “potentially very dangerous” skills and connections.

Alex Younger, who did not comment specifically on the case of Ms Begum, said UK nationals had a “right” to come home but that the safety of the public was the first priority.

Meanwhile, Home Secretary Sajid Javid warned he “will not hesitate” to prevent the return of Britons who travelled to join IS.

Mr Javid said those who left the UK to join IS were “full of hate for our country”, while Security Minister Ben Wallace warned that runaways who now want to come back must realise that “actions have consequences”.

Meanwhile Anthony Loyd, The Times correspondent who found Ms Begum, said she was a “15-year-old schoolgirl who made a terrible mistake... and we must do our best to rehabilitate her amongst our own people”.

But her plea has been strongly rejected by others – including the brother of Alan Henning, the British aid worker beheaded by Jihadi John, who said she should “absolutely not” be allowed back.

Any hopes of a rescue mission by British officials were also swiftly quashed on Thursday as the Government ruled out making an effort inside Syria to assist Ms Begum.

While no official operation to remove her from Syria will be carried out, questions have been raised over whether Britain would be able to prevent Ms Begum’s eventual return to the UK.

We will do everything within our power to protect that baby. Extract from statement issued by Shamima Begum’s family.