The family of a teenager who travelled to Syria to join Islamic State has been told the Home Office intends to revoke her British citizenship.
Shamima Begum, who left her home in Bethnal Green, east London, at the age of 15 is currently in a refugee camp in Syria where she gave birth to a boy at the weekend. Begum had called on the British people to have sympathy for her situation and asked to be allowed to return to the UK. In a step likely meant to discourage similar behaviour and to penalise those who support groups such as Isis regardless of their actual role, the home secretary Sajid Javid responded by insisting that he would do everything in his power to prevent this from occurring.
Begum left the UK along with two school friends in 2015. She was thrust back into the spotlight last week when she declared her wish to return for the sake of her then unborn child. Mr Javid has made clear his fierce opposition stating that there will be consequences for those who travelled to Syria.
It has been reported that Begum’s mother received a letter on today notifying her of the Home Office’s intention to strip her daughter of her citizenship. Tasnime Akunjee, the family’s lawyer, said Begum’s relatives were disappointed with the Home Office’s position and were considering all legal avenues to challenge this decision. Although the Home Office has not commented, it is thought the home secretary believes section 40(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981 gives him the power to strip Begum of her UK citizenship which he may do if she is entitled to claim citizenship of another country as doing so will not render her stateless. It is likely that the home secretary will rely on grounds that Begum has behaved “in a manner which is seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the United Kingdom”.
As Begum’s parents are of Bangladeshi heritage it may mean she can apply for citizenship of that country, which she says she has never visited. Her relatives have called for her to be looked upon as a girl who was groomed at a young age.
Begum has 28 days from when an order is made to lodge an appeal to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have asked for her to be brought back and dealt with by the justice system in the UK.
