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Shamima Begum 'a bit shocked' that UK has revoked citizenship Shamima Begum 'a bit shocked' that UK has revoked citizenship
(32 minutes later)
Shamima Begum, the teenager who travelled from east London to Syria to join Islamic State in 2015, has said she was “a bit shocked” when she learned the Home Office had revoked her British citizenship. Shamima Begum, the teenager who travelled from east London to Syria to join Islamic State in 2015, has described Home Office plans to strip her of citizenship as “kind of heart-breaking”.
Shamima Begum: will the plan to revoke her citizenship succeed?Shamima Begum: will the plan to revoke her citizenship succeed?
“I don’t know what to say,” she told ITV News. “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.”“I don’t know what to say,” she told ITV News. “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.”
Sajid Javid wrote to her family informing them he had made an order revoking her citizenship, believing the fact her parents are of Bangladeshi heritage means she can apply for citizenship of that country – though Begum says she has never visited it. The home secretary, Sajid Javid, wrote to her family informing them he had made an order revoking her citizenship. He said the fact Begum’s parents are of Bangladeshi heritage means she can apply for citizenship of that country – though Begum says she has never been there.
THe ITV News security editor, Rohit Kachroo, showed her a copy of the letter at the Syria refugee camp where she is being held. The ITV News security editor, Rohit Kachroo, showed her a copy of the letter at the Syria refugee camp where she is being held.
She said of the letter: “It’s kind of heart-breaking 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 said.“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 said.
Taking Shamima Begum's citizenship risks making her a martyr | Robert VerkaikTaking Shamima Begum's citizenship risks making her a martyr | Robert Verkaik
“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.”“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.”
Javid is facing condemnation from Labour over his move to remove British citizenship from Begum.Javid is facing condemnation from Labour over his move to remove British citizenship from Begum.
On Wednesday morning the solicitor for the Begum family, Tasnime Akunjee, said the home secretary’s actions were excessive because the government had allowed hundreds of Britons to return, some of whom were suspected of fighting for Isis. The teenager was not suspected of being an Isis fighter and has claimed she was a housewife while married to a suspected Isis fighter.
Akunjee said: “I am very disappointed in Sajid Javid’s decision to attempt to strip Ms Begum of her British citizenship.
“Home office minister Ben Wallace confirmed just last year that an estimated 400 Britons had returned to the UK from the Middle East having fought for groups like Isis. How Javaid thinks that it is proportionate to allow such fighters to return whilst assessing it necessary to strip a young woman with a child of her citizenship is beyond me.”
Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said it would be a failure of the UK’s security obligations and breach of human rights law if the government is proposing to make Begum stateless, arguing her potential citizenship rights elsewhere are “entirely irrelevant”.Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said it would be a failure of the UK’s security obligations and breach of human rights law if the government is proposing to make Begum stateless, arguing her potential citizenship rights elsewhere are “entirely irrelevant”.
Her comments add to criticism from the Scottish National party and the Liberal Democrats over Javid’s decision, which is likely to face alegal challenge from Begum’s family.Her comments add to criticism from the Scottish National party and the Liberal Democrats over Javid’s decision, which is likely to face alegal challenge from Begum’s family.
Abbott said: “Whenever there are reasonable grounds to suspect that someone who is entitled to return to this country has either committed or facilitated acts of terrorism, they should be fully investigated and where appropriate prosecuted. This does not appear to be the case here.Abbott said: “Whenever there are reasonable grounds to suspect that someone who is entitled to return to this country has either committed or facilitated acts of terrorism, they should be fully investigated and where appropriate prosecuted. This does not appear to be the case here.
“If the government is proposing to make Shamima Begum stateless it is not just a breach of international human rights law but is a failure to meet our security obligations to the international community.”“If the government is proposing to make Shamima Begum stateless it is not just a breach of international human rights law but is a failure to meet our security obligations to the international community.”
Potential citizenship rights elsewhere are entirely irrelevant. Ourfundamental freedoms do not need to be compromised; they are perfectly compatible with our safety.”Potential citizenship rights elsewhere are entirely irrelevant. Ourfundamental freedoms do not need to be compromised; they are perfectly compatible with our safety.”
Shamima BegumShamima Begum
SyriaSyria
Human rightsHuman rights
Sajid Javid
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