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Shamima Begum’s baby is British – and could be jihadi bride’s ticket back to UK
ISIS bride Shamima Begum's could be handed a backdoor route to return to the UK as her baby is British.
The 19-year-old gave birth to son Jerah in a Syrian refugee camp over the weekend, days before her citizenship was revoked by the Home Office.
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Home Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed Jerah's nationality after telling the Commons a parent losing citizenship does not affect the rights of a child, who "should not suffer".
Immigration lawyers have said Begum could use her son's nationality to accompany him back to Britain.
However, the Home Office said it would block any attempts for Begum to re-enter the UK through her child.
Begum has been immediately stripped of her British citizenship, having shown no remorse for her terror links since being tracked down to a Syrian refugee camp last week.
She fled from her family home in Bethnal Green in 2015 to join Islamic State and has sparked outrage by claiming the Manchester Arena terror attack was 'justified' in a recent interview.
BABY IS BRITISH BUT HOME OFFICE 'WILL STILL BLOCK MUM'
Begum had been begging to come back to the UK to raise her baby son, Jerah, but her hopes appeared to be dashed when the Home Office stripped her British citizenship.
Mr Javid said the government had to make "tough decisions" to keep the UK safe, adding: "There must be consequences for those that back terror."
But according to legal experts, Begum could return with her child because of his nationality.
Rosa Anne Freedman, professor of law, conflict, and global development at the University of Reading, told The Sun Online: "She has no Bangladeshi citizenship as far as we know. Her son certainly does not and he has every right as the child of a British citizen to British nationality.
"If you are a British citizen, your child no matter where they're born in the world in whatever circumstances has a right to nationality.
Because of the child, the mother could by default get back her nationality
Immigration lawyer Asif Salam
"This baby, who is number three, the other two we know have died, is living in a refugee camp and he's a British citizen."
Immigration lawyer Asif Salam said: “Because of the child, the mother could by default get back her nationality or get a limited leave to remain — to be able to live with her child in the UK.”
But the Home Office has maintained the jihadi bride will not be able to use her baby's British citizenship to return to the UK.
A Home Office source said: "Once you’re deprived of your citizenship, you are not a citizen any more."
The family's lawyers are planning to fight the decision to strip the 19-year-old of her citizenship.
The fact that the birth was abroad - or that his parents are ISIS fighters - does not affect the baby's status.
The child may also qualify for Dutch citizenship as his father and Begum's Holland-born husband Yago Riedijk.
STRIPPED OF CITIZENSHIP
The Home Office says because her mother was born in Bangladesh, her daughter is entitled to dual citizenship, meaning she will not be stateless.
But the 19-year-old's family claim the government's decision to revoke her citizenship is illegal as she does not have a Bangladeshi passport and has never been to the country.
A letter from the Home Office obtained by told her family that Mr Javid had made an order "removing her British citizenship."
The document, addressed to Begum's mother, said the decision was taken "in light of the circumstances of your daughter".
"I would be very grateful if you could ensure the home secretary's decision is brought to her attention, along with her right to appeal," it added.
'HARD TO SWALLOW'
Unrepentant Begum today moaned her citizenship being removed was "heartbreaking" and unjust.
Speaking from the camp in Syria where she's being held, she told : "I don't know what to say. I am not that shocked but I am a bit shocked. It’s a bit upsetting and frustrating. I feel like it’s a bit unjust on me and my son.
"It’s kind of heartbreaking to read. My family made it sound like it would be a lot easier for me to come back to the UK when I was speaking to them in Baghouz. It’s kind of hard to swallow.
"I heard that other people are being sent back to Britain so I don’t know why my case is any different to other people, or is it just because I was on the news four years ago?"
REMORSELESS
On Sunday, the 19-year-old smirked through an interview on Sky News in which she said it would be "really hard" to rehabilitate in UK - and boasted she had a "good time" in Syria.
The 19-year-old who fled the UK in 2015 claims she "never did anything dangerous" and whined: "I can't live in this camp forever".
Asked if she felt she made a mistake travelling to Syria, she said: "In a way, yes, but I don't regret it because it's changed me as a person. It's made me stronger, tougher, you know.
"I married my husband, I wouldn't have found someone like him back in the UK.
"I had my kids, I did have a good time there, just at the end things got harder and I couldn't take it any more.
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"When I went to Syria I was just a housewife for the entire four years. I never did anything dangerous. I never made propaganda. I never encouraged people to come to Syria."
The runaway schoolgirl said she wasn't fazed by seeing severed heads in the bin, claiming it "made her stronger."
And speaking to next to her newborn son, she said people "should have sympathy towards me for everything I have been through".
ISIS bride Shamima Begum moans it’s ‘unjust’ after being stripped of British citizenship
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