ISIS bride Shamima Begum moans it’s ‘unjust’ after she’s stripped of British citizenship
BRIT ISIS bride Shamima Begum has today said that being stripped of her UK citizenship is "heartbreaking" and unjust.
The moaning teenager, who fled the UK to join the terror group in 2015, was yesterday revealed to have been stripped of her citizenship by the Home Office.
The 19-year-old, who gave birth to her baby boy on Sunday, said she had not been informed of the decision when she received the letter.
She added: "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?"
She then suggested she might try use her marriage to Dutch jihadi Yago Riedijk as a means of gaining citizenship in Europe.
"Another option I might try with my family is my husband is from Holland and he has family in Holland.
"Maybe I can ask for citizenship in Holland. If he gets sent back to prison in Holland I can just wait for him while he is in prison."
What we know so far:
- Shamima Begum, from Bethnal Green, London, fled the UK to join ISIS in 2015 aged 15
- The pregnant 19-year-old was then found in a refugee camp in Syria last week
- In interviews she said she wanted to return to the UK to raise her unborn baby
- Victims and relatives of the Manchester bombing innocents reacted with outrage
- She gave birth to her baby boy, whose dad is a Dutch jihadi, on Sunday
- Yesterday her family revealed the Home Office had revoked her UK citizenship
- She claims this decision is "unjust", and "heartbreaking" and she may try move to Holland
An official Home Office letter breaking the shock news was delivered to Begum's "disappointed" family earlier yesterday.
However, Begum's brother-in-law broke ranks with her parents and immediate family to say he supported the decision as it was in the best interests "of the country".
The letter read: "Please find enclosed papers that relate to a decision taken by the Home Secretary, to deprive your daughter, Shamima Begum, of her British citizenship.
It's not yet known how the ban will affect her newborn son Jerah - who is half British and half Dutch.
The teenager's family have said they are “disappointed” by the Home Office's decision, said their lawyer Tasnime Akunjee.
'WE SHOULD SUPPORT IT'
Meanwhile, Begum's brother-in-law today broke ranks with her parents' stance and backed the government decision to strip her of her citizenship.
Muhammad Rahman, 36, is married to Shamima's sister Renu.
He said: "I think we should support it, they (the government) are the people who are in the position to make the decision.
The people who are making these decisions are doing it for the country. They don't have an easy job, you can't please everyone.
"The information they have is to the best of their ability and the British people should support it.
"I last spoke to Shamima when she was very young. I think it is upsetting for my sister-in-law and her side of the family."
Speaking hours after the teenager's family revealed she will never be able to return to the UK, he added: "I have made comments and it's upset them. I don't know Shamima, I last saw her when she was very young.
"It sounds bad but it doesn't affect my life, it affects her family who I am not that close to. I don't want to upset my sister-in-law but I don't really know that side of the family.
"They are extended family, I think it's often like that."