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Syria girls: Families tell MPs of school letter anger Syria girls: Families tell MPs of school letter anger
(35 minutes later)
Families of three schoolgirls missing in Syria have told MPs they had no idea the teenagers had been radicalised. Families of three missing schoolgirls have told MPs they would have done more to monitor them if they had known a fourth girl had already gone to Syria.
The families have complained that a police letter about a school friend of the girls who was already in Syria was not sent directly to them. The families have complained that a police letter about the first girl was not sent directly to them.
Sahima Begum - sister of Shamima Begum - said her family would have questioned her, if they had received the letter. Sahima Begum - sister of Shamima Begum - said her family was "never given the opportunity" to question her.
Shamima, Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16 - all from London - travelled to Syria last month.Shamima, Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16 - all from London - travelled to Syria last month.
Appearing before the Home Affairs Select Committee, Ms Begum said her family was "never given an opportunity" to question Shamima, as they never received the letter. Appearing before the Home Affairs Select Committee, Ms Begum said her family only found the police letter about the first girl after Shamima had gone missing.
She said her family "did what they could" to monitor Shamima's activities, but would have done more had they known the first girl had gone to Syria. She said they later found out the letter had been given to the girl - rather than being sent to the families directly.
Ms Begum said her family "did what they could" to monitor Shamima's activities, but would have done more had they known the first girl had gone to Syria.
The families have called for the Met Police to apologise after the letter was given to the girls, rather than to the families directly.The families have called for the Met Police to apologise after the letter was given to the girls, rather than to the families directly.
Solicitor Tasnime Akunjee, representing the families, told the committee that had the parents received the letter they would have been "on notice" for issues like radicalisation and foreign travel.Solicitor Tasnime Akunjee, representing the families, told the committee that had the parents received the letter they would have been "on notice" for issues like radicalisation and foreign travel.
Police had "put a cap" on the amount of information passed to other families about the first girl, he said.Police had "put a cap" on the amount of information passed to other families about the first girl, he said.
'Role to play''Role to play'
It comes as Prime Minister David Cameron said parents and schools must also help prevent young Britons travelling to Syria.It comes as Prime Minister David Cameron said parents and schools must also help prevent young Britons travelling to Syria.
In an interview with LBC radio, he said that no institution should be made a "scapegoat" for the girls' disappearance.In an interview with LBC radio, he said that no institution should be made a "scapegoat" for the girls' disappearance.
The three schoolgirls travelled from east London to Turkey last month, before crossing into an area of Syria controlled by Islamic State militants.The three schoolgirls travelled from east London to Turkey last month, before crossing into an area of Syria controlled by Islamic State militants.
Mr Cameron said "everyone has a role to play" in stopping Britons joining IS, including politicians, parents, communities and schools.Mr Cameron said "everyone has a role to play" in stopping Britons joining IS, including politicians, parents, communities and schools.
"When you have got educated British schoolgirls at an outstanding school in Greenwich finding it somehow attractive to get on a plane to travel to Syria to go and live in a country where gay people are being thrown off buildings and British citizens are being beheaded, and appalling brutality is being meted out, we have a problem," he said."When you have got educated British schoolgirls at an outstanding school in Greenwich finding it somehow attractive to get on a plane to travel to Syria to go and live in a country where gay people are being thrown off buildings and British citizens are being beheaded, and appalling brutality is being meted out, we have a problem," he said.
He added: "Let's not pretend this is simply a problem that can be dealt with by policing."He added: "Let's not pretend this is simply a problem that can be dealt with by policing."