19/02/2019
The discussion about Shamima Begum and her request to return to the UK rages on.
Sajid Javid, the UK Home Secretary, has made the call to strip Begum of her UK citizenship; using section 40(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981. This states that: "The Secretary of State may by order deprive a person of a citizenship status if the Secretary of State is satisfied that deprivation is conducive to the public good."
Begum, now 19, has shown no remorse for travelling to be an IS bride and indeed has said, during an interview with The Guardian newspaper, “I’m not the same silly little 15-year-old schoolgirl who ran away from Bethnal Green four years ago. And I don’t regret coming here,”
Her comments during the interview present the image of a young woman who does not see anything wrong with what she did, or with the barbaric actions of those she went to join. This doesn't appear to be the behaviour of someone who deserves our forgiveness or has any right to expect the UK to welcome her back with open arms.
"I'm not going to go back and provoke people to go to ISIS or anything, if anything I'm going to encourage them not to go because it's not all as it seems in their videos."
However, it is also important to recognise that Shamima was just 15 years old when she made the journey to Syria to join Islamic State / Daesh and marry the Dutch jihadist Yago Riedijk. She had been groomed by Daesh sympathisers and brainwashed into believing the twisted version of Islam preached to her by those who corrupt their religion to suit their evil ideologies. She was, it would appear, a vulnerable young girl who had her head turned by people who deliberately manipulated her and two friends, and convinced to undertake a perilous journey to a dangerous region of the world. She has then spent four years ensconced within the group, in a situation where she continued to be subject to the harmful teaching of the extremists.
Is it any wonder that she still holds on to the thought that she had nothing to regret?
On balance, I believe we should bring Shamima back to the UK. She should be required to go through a period of de-radicalisation and should be monitored for an extended period of time. She should have certain restrictions placed upon her and should be under no illusions about what would happen if she were to re-engage with Daesh or promote radicalisation.
By bringing her back, not 'welcoming' her back, we may have an opportunity to learn from the errors that were undoubtably made in the period leading up to Shamima and her friends, Amira Abase who was also 15 and Kadiza Sultana, then 16 embarking on their journey. Apparently, the school in Bethnal Green where the girls were educated, the Tower Hamlets council and the Police all knew of the radicalisation of these girls. And yet, the parents weren't informed and the authorities failed to prevent their travel.
Those responsible for the failings to protect these three children should be investigated. There must be greater emphasis on the protection of children and vulnerable adults, who might fall victim to the extremists targeting them and looking to recruit them to their cause.
Whatever does happen with regards to the Home Office's actions and Shamima's future residency, I do hope that she is able to move on from this and embrace a life of love and tolerance; putting aside the hate of extremists on all sides. I also hope that her third child survives. Whether the child stays with her in the refugee camp whilst her situation is sorted, or is repatriated to the UK to live with the baby's grandparents, I can only hope that this innocent newborn is kept safe.