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| Missing Bradford sisters: Fathers appeal over 'Syria' family | Missing Bradford sisters: Fathers appeal over 'Syria' family |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The husbands of three UK sisters feared to have travelled to Syria with their nine children said they "miss and love" them as they appealed for their return. | The husbands of three UK sisters feared to have travelled to Syria with their nine children said they "miss and love" them as they appealed for their return. |
| Khadija, Sugra and Zohra Dawood, from Bradford, and their children aged three to 15 have not made contact for a week. | Khadija, Sugra and Zohra Dawood, from Bradford, and their children aged three to 15 have not made contact for a week. |
| Their brother is understood to be fighting with extremists in Syria. | Their brother is understood to be fighting with extremists in Syria. |
| Akhtar Iqbal made an emotional appeal to his wife Sugra during the news conference, saying: "I'm shaking and I miss you. It's been too many days." | Akhtar Iqbal made an emotional appeal to his wife Sugra during the news conference, saying: "I'm shaking and I miss you. It's been too many days." |
| Speaking directly to his 15-year-old son Junaid, he said: "If you watch this video, please ring me, please contact me. I love you, all of you." | Speaking directly to his 15-year-old son Junaid, he said: "If you watch this video, please ring me, please contact me. I love you, all of you." |
| He added: "Please, please come back home so we can live a normal life." | He added: "Please, please come back home so we can live a normal life." |
| Mohammed Shoaib, the husband of Khadija Dawood, was in tears as he pleaded for the return of his wife of 11 years and children Muhammad Haseeb, five, and Maryam Siddiqui, seven. | Mohammed Shoaib, the husband of Khadija Dawood, was in tears as he pleaded for the return of his wife of 11 years and children Muhammad Haseeb, five, and Maryam Siddiqui, seven. |
| He said: "The kids cannot live without me. They miss me so much. | He said: "The kids cannot live without me. They miss me so much. |
| "The last time [we spoke], my daughter Maryam said, 'Daddy, I cried last night, I cry all night for you'. And my son said: 'I miss you so much'." | "The last time [we spoke], my daughter Maryam said, 'Daddy, I cried last night, I cry all night for you'. And my son said: 'I miss you so much'." |
| He reassured his family: "I'm not angry, please come back, everything is normal, come back to normal life please." | He reassured his family: "I'm not angry, please come back, everything is normal, come back to normal life please." |
| The husband of Zohra Dawood did not attend as he is currently in Pakistan. | The husband of Zohra Dawood did not attend as he is currently in Pakistan. |
| The case has led to much debate within the UK's Muslim community. | |
| Dr Mohammed Iqbal, president of Bradford's Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, insisted the authorities and the intelligence services needed to come up with some answers. | |
| He told BBC Radio 5 live that propaganda was reaching Muslims over the internet, not through mosques. | |
| But Manzoor Moghal, chairman of the Muslim Forum, said the number of Britons leaving to join jihadists in the Middle East was "a Muslim problem". | |
| Writing in the Daily Mail, he accused families of those travelling to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State (IS) of "endlessly pointing the finger at others" and said communities should take responsibility. | |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondent | By Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondent |
| As Mohammed Shoaib and Akhtar Iqbal sat down at the press conference, they looked like they hadn't slept in days. | As Mohammed Shoaib and Akhtar Iqbal sat down at the press conference, they looked like they hadn't slept in days. |
| Husbands and fathers, they struggled their way through personal and direct appeals to their respective wives and older children to get in touch. | Husbands and fathers, they struggled their way through personal and direct appeals to their respective wives and older children to get in touch. |
| After years of marriage, neither had an answer for what had happened. | After years of marriage, neither had an answer for what had happened. |
| If the worst is true, and the women have joined their brother who is said to be in Syria, everyone here knows that the chances of them being able to return are slim. | If the worst is true, and the women have joined their brother who is said to be in Syria, everyone here knows that the chances of them being able to return are slim. |
| There is no doubt that some travellers buy into Islamic State's narrative that they can be part of its utopian, and murderous, vision. | There is no doubt that some travellers buy into Islamic State's narrative that they can be part of its utopian, and murderous, vision. |
| And all the evidence shows that once someone is inside Islamic State's zone of control, it's virtually impossible to get out. | And all the evidence shows that once someone is inside Islamic State's zone of control, it's virtually impossible to get out. |
| The group went missing following a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. | The group went missing following a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. |
| They travelled to the Saudi city of Medina on 28 May and were last seen in a hotel in the city. | They travelled to the Saudi city of Medina on 28 May and were last seen in a hotel in the city. |
| The family was supposed to fly to Manchester following their pilgrimage but Mr Iqbal and Mr Shoaib reported them missing when they did not return. They had last spoken to their children on 8 June. | The family was supposed to fly to Manchester following their pilgrimage but Mr Iqbal and Mr Shoaib reported them missing when they did not return. They had last spoken to their children on 8 June. |
| The sisters, along with their children, are understood to have flown to Istanbul, Turkey - a commonly-used route into Syria - on 9 June. | The sisters, along with their children, are understood to have flown to Istanbul, Turkey - a commonly-used route into Syria - on 9 June. |
| There has been no contact with the group for one week. Their mobile phones have not been active, nor have their social media profiles been updated. | There has been no contact with the group for one week. Their mobile phones have not been active, nor have their social media profiles been updated. |
| Newsnight's Secunder Kermani said some locals suggested the women were in unhappy relationships, but this was denied by Mr Shoaib, who said he was in a "perfect relationship" with his wife. | Newsnight's Secunder Kermani said some locals suggested the women were in unhappy relationships, but this was denied by Mr Shoaib, who said he was in a "perfect relationship" with his wife. |
| The lawyer for the missing sisters' husbands, Balaal Khan, said the men felt "helpless", adding: "As time passes, they are growing more and more concerned." | The lawyer for the missing sisters' husbands, Balaal Khan, said the men felt "helpless", adding: "As time passes, they are growing more and more concerned." |
| He would not rule out the possibility that the family had been under police surveillance before they travelled to Saudi Arabia. | He would not rule out the possibility that the family had been under police surveillance before they travelled to Saudi Arabia. |
| Mr Khan told the press conference there was "no inkling" that anything was wrong before the sisters disappeared and that they had been in regular contact with their husbands while in Saudi Arabia. | Mr Khan told the press conference there was "no inkling" that anything was wrong before the sisters disappeared and that they had been in regular contact with their husbands while in Saudi Arabia. |
| He added that there had been "no indication they had been radicalised". | He added that there had been "no indication they had been radicalised". |
| The solicitor said: "The family are non-political, they follow the moderate version of Islam, there was no indication of anything." | The solicitor said: "The family are non-political, they follow the moderate version of Islam, there was no indication of anything." |
| The children's fathers had no contact with the brother-in-law believed to be in Syria, but asked him to get in touch if their wives were now with him. | The children's fathers had no contact with the brother-in-law believed to be in Syria, but asked him to get in touch if their wives were now with him. |
| Missing children | Missing children |
| Missing mothers | Missing mothers |
| Mr Khan said he believed a police investigation into the women's brother had begun before the family went missing. | Mr Khan said he believed a police investigation into the women's brother had begun before the family went missing. |
| Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster of West Yorkshire Police said: "We are extremely concerned for the safety of the family and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to us. | Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster of West Yorkshire Police said: "We are extremely concerned for the safety of the family and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to us. |
| "Our priority is for their safe return; their families are gravely worried about them and want them home. One of our primary concerns is the safety and welfare of the young children." | "Our priority is for their safe return; their families are gravely worried about them and want them home. One of our primary concerns is the safety and welfare of the young children." |
| The North East Counter Terrorism Unit is leading the investigation into the missing family. | The North East Counter Terrorism Unit is leading the investigation into the missing family. |
| West Yorkshire Police are also understood to be investigating the whereabouts of the women's brother. | West Yorkshire Police are also understood to be investigating the whereabouts of the women's brother. |
| A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are in contact with West Yorkshire Police and Turkish authorities and are ready to provide consular assistance." | A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are in contact with West Yorkshire Police and Turkish authorities and are ready to provide consular assistance." |
| Timeline of the disappearance | Timeline of the disappearance |
| Afzal Ashraf, consultant fellow at defence think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said he was concerned because the media attention could be seen as an "advertisement" for Islamic State. | Afzal Ashraf, consultant fellow at defence think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said he was concerned because the media attention could be seen as an "advertisement" for Islamic State. |
| He told Radio 4's PM programme: "They would be very pleased this is now being discussed in the media as they would hope that other families, other people, would take the initiative." | He told Radio 4's PM programme: "They would be very pleased this is now being discussed in the media as they would hope that other families, other people, would take the initiative." |
| He said it was important to highlight the "negative aspects" and also said it was "patently unsafe" for children to be in Syria, not only because of physical dangers but because "health and other facilities are pretty basic in that part of the world". | He said it was important to highlight the "negative aspects" and also said it was "patently unsafe" for children to be in Syria, not only because of physical dangers but because "health and other facilities are pretty basic in that part of the world". |