Revealed – the reasons why Shamima Begum’s British citizenship CAN be revoked
REMORSELESS jihadi Shamima Begum has sparked a raging debate over whether she can legally return to the UK.
The 19-year-old ISIS bride who left East London to join the caliphate in 2015 is "disappointed" by Britain's decision to strip her citizenship, but could she appeal against it? Here's the latest.
Can the Home Office deprive her of her citizenship?
The Home Office yesterday wrote a letter to Ms Begum to inform her that she is "deprived"; of her British citizenship.
Under the 1981 British Nationality Act, a person can be deprived of their citizenship if the home secretary believes it would be "conducive to the public good" and they would not become stateless as a result.
The letter from the Home Office means she is effectively banned from entering the UK.
By extension, this would also present her with difficulties settling elsewhere in the EU without a visa or citizenship for another European country.
It is understood that the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, would only have stripped her of her citizenship if they had confirmed she had dual nationality, even if she didn't have a current Bangladeshi passport - suggesting she does in fact have a dual citizenship, or could get one.
Does she actually have dual citizenship?
Ms Begum's parents are both Bangladeshi but she was born in the UK.
The teen says she has never even been to Bangladesh and does not hold a passport for that country.
If Ms Begum only has British citizenship then revoking this would render her stateless - which is forbidden under international law.
What about her baby?
According to legal experts, Begum's child is British as he was born to a British mother.
The fact that the birth was abroad - or that his parents are ISIS fighters - shouldn't affect this.
But if the father is Begum's Dutch husband Yago Riedijk, the child may qualify for Dutch citizenship.
Will she appeal the Home Office decision?
Begum's lawyer has already said they are "considering challenging" the decision to revoke her British citizenship.
Criminal defence lawyer Tasnime Akunjee said: "[The] Family are very disappointed with the Home Office's intention to have an order made depriving Shamima of her citizenship.
"We are considering all legal avenues to challenge this decision."
Begum could potentially appeal through the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, but has just 28 days to do so.
Could she get Dutch citizenship?
Begum told ITV she found the Home Office decision "upsetting and frustrating" and that it was "unjust" on her and her son.
And she's suggested she might find citizenship elsewhere - by using her marriage to Dutch jihadi Yago Riedijk as a means of gaining citizenship in Europe.
She told ITV: "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."
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Riedijk, 27, left Holland for Syria in 2016 and was in contact with a gang believed to be planning a terror attack.
The couple were said to have been separated as they fled ISIS's final stronghold in Baghuz, but his whereabouts remain unknown.
Even if he was tracked down, Riedijk might face similar issues to Begum returning to Britain - his entry to Holland might also be barred.
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