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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Dewsbury 'in shock over UK's youngest suicide bomber' | Dewsbury 'in shock over UK's youngest suicide bomber' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Community leaders in the home town of a West Yorkshire teenager who reportedly carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq have spoken of their shock at the news. | Community leaders in the home town of a West Yorkshire teenager who reportedly carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq have spoken of their shock at the news. |
| Dewsbury councillor Masood Ahmed said Talha Asmal, 17, was "no different" from other teenagers, and said people in the town were "devastated". | Dewsbury councillor Masood Ahmed said Talha Asmal, 17, was "no different" from other teenagers, and said people in the town were "devastated". |
| Asmal is believed to have become Britain's youngest suicide bomber, in an oil refinery attack south of Baiji. | Asmal is believed to have become Britain's youngest suicide bomber, in an oil refinery attack south of Baiji. |
| His family say he was groomed online, describing it as a "tragedy". | His family say he was groomed online, describing it as a "tragedy". |
| At least 11 people were killed in the car bombings carried out by four suicide bombers near the city north of Baghdad on Saturday. | |
| Social media reports linked to militant group Islamic State (IS) said Asmal, going by the name of Abu Yusuf al-Britani, was among the attackers. | Social media reports linked to militant group Islamic State (IS) said Asmal, going by the name of Abu Yusuf al-Britani, was among the attackers. |
| Asmal would be Britain's youngest known suicide bomber. Another West Yorkshire teenager, Hasib Hussein, was 18 when he blew himself up on a London bus in the 7 July 2005 attacks. | Asmal would be Britain's youngest known suicide bomber. Another West Yorkshire teenager, Hasib Hussein, was 18 when he blew himself up on a London bus in the 7 July 2005 attacks. |
| Tracking Britain's jihadists | |
| The stories of those who have died, been convicted of offences relating to the Islamic State conflict or are still in Syria or Iraq | |
| "Communities are devastated and shocked to hear the news," said Mr Ahmed, a Labour member of Kirklees Council. | "Communities are devastated and shocked to hear the news," said Mr Ahmed, a Labour member of Kirklees Council. |
| He said there were "no signs, no symptoms" that Asmal had been groomed by extremists online - as his family now believe he was. | He said there were "no signs, no symptoms" that Asmal had been groomed by extremists online - as his family now believe he was. |
| "He was no different from any other teenager in terms of being loving, caring, naive, innocent. He loved sport, he was doing OK in school," Mr Ahmed said. | "He was no different from any other teenager in terms of being loving, caring, naive, innocent. He loved sport, he was doing OK in school," Mr Ahmed said. |
| Lorraine Barker, executive principal of Mirfield Free Grammar and Sixth Form, where Asmal was studying, told the Times he was a "conscientious student", and staff and students were in "complete shock" when he travelled to Syria with fellow Dewsbury teenager Hassan Munshi in March. | |
| In a statement issued on Sunday, his family said he was a "loving, kind, caring and affable teenager". | In a statement issued on Sunday, his family said he was a "loving, kind, caring and affable teenager". |
| "He never harboured any ill will against anybody nor did he ever exhibit any violent, extreme or radical views of any kind," they said. | "He never harboured any ill will against anybody nor did he ever exhibit any violent, extreme or radical views of any kind," they said. |
| "Talha's tender years and naivety were, it seems... exploited by persons unknown who, hiding behind the anonymity of the world wide web, targeted and befriended Talha and engaged in a process of deliberate and calculated grooming of him." | "Talha's tender years and naivety were, it seems... exploited by persons unknown who, hiding behind the anonymity of the world wide web, targeted and befriended Talha and engaged in a process of deliberate and calculated grooming of him." |
| They added: "We are all naturally utterly devastated and heartbroken by the unspeakable tragedy that now appears to have befallen us." | They added: "We are all naturally utterly devastated and heartbroken by the unspeakable tragedy that now appears to have befallen us." |
| Analysis | |
| Tom Symonds, BBC home affairs correspondent | |
| The flow of young men and women to warzones in Syria and Iraq continues to be the biggest challenge to Britain's counter-terrorism effort. | The flow of young men and women to warzones in Syria and Iraq continues to be the biggest challenge to Britain's counter-terrorism effort. |
| Senior officers estimate more than 700 British citizens have now made the journey, some taking on the name "al-Britani" to signify their origins. Half have come back to the UK, posing the risk that they might plan attacks. | |
| BBC research suggests more than 30 are still in the warzones, and possibly as many as 50. | BBC research suggests more than 30 are still in the warzones, and possibly as many as 50. |
| However, it is estimated a third are not known to police and the security services, making their job of tracking extremists and prioritising those posing the greatest risk much harder. | However, it is estimated a third are not known to police and the security services, making their job of tracking extremists and prioritising those posing the greatest risk much harder. |
| 'Not victims' | 'Not victims' |
| Shahid Malik, former MP for Dewsbury and a family friend of the Asmals, said it was "disturbing" to see how relaxed Talha looked in the IS photographs allegedly taken prior to his suicide mission. | Shahid Malik, former MP for Dewsbury and a family friend of the Asmals, said it was "disturbing" to see how relaxed Talha looked in the IS photographs allegedly taken prior to his suicide mission. |
| "He looks at peace. It's like he's ready to go and meet his maker. This is a clear indication of just how successful the evil Isis groomers have been in poisoning and brainwashing Talha and kids like him," he said. | "He looks at peace. It's like he's ready to go and meet his maker. This is a clear indication of just how successful the evil Isis groomers have been in poisoning and brainwashing Talha and kids like him," he said. |
| Mr Malik likened Asmal's case - and other similar ones - to sexual abuse. | Mr Malik likened Asmal's case - and other similar ones - to sexual abuse. |
| "Parents often haven't got a clue what's going on and the kids themselves don't see themselves as victims - and even society doesn't," he said. | |
| He added Asmal's story should serve as a "wake-up call". | He added Asmal's story should serve as a "wake-up call". |
| "Mosques need to confront this evil ideology head-on. Children need to be taught what is acceptable and not acceptable in respect to Islamic State's ideology. | "Mosques need to confront this evil ideology head-on. Children need to be taught what is acceptable and not acceptable in respect to Islamic State's ideology. |
| "I would say that up and down and the country that is not happening at the moment." | "I would say that up and down and the country that is not happening at the moment." |
| The case also prompted criticism of the government's counter-terrorism strategy. | |
| Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK had fallen "well behind" on tackling the issue and urged a "stronger plan" for community-led action. | |
| "We have known for a long time that Isil was using social media to recruit young people to join their bloody war. So why don't we have a proper plan in place for communities to be able to proactively counter the lies they spread and undermine their attempts to glorify the civil war they are fuelling?" she added. | |
| But Lord Carlile, a former independent reviewer of terrorism laws, said she was wrong to make it a party political issue. | |
| All governments "face the same problems and should be working together on a non-partisan basis to produce solutions", he told BBC Radio 4 Today. | |
| He said a "public-private partnership using the very best brains to enable us to put a counter-narrative on the internet" was needed, adding: "We must allow the authorities within a proper framework to have access to communications data that might lead them to prevent someone like this young man from going abroad to be a terrorist." | He said a "public-private partnership using the very best brains to enable us to put a counter-narrative on the internet" was needed, adding: "We must allow the authorities within a proper framework to have access to communications data that might lead them to prevent someone like this young man from going abroad to be a terrorist." |
| 'Preachers of hate' | 'Preachers of hate' |
| IS has seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and across northern and western Iraq. | IS has seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and across northern and western Iraq. |
| At least 700 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist organisations in the area, with the majority joining IS. | At least 700 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist organisations in the area, with the majority joining IS. |
| The Home Office said since 2011 it had trained more than 160,000 frontline workers to identify and prevent extremism; excluded nearly 100 "hate preachers" and taken down more than 90,000 pieces of terrorist-related material from the internet. | |
| It also removed or refused 30 passports in 2013 and 2014 where people were considered to be at risk of travelling to Syria or Iraq, it said. | |
| The Britons taking terror overseas | The Britons taking terror overseas |