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Missing Bradford sisters: Mother 'didn't want children to grow up in UK' | Missing Bradford sisters: Mother 'didn't want children to grow up in UK' |
(35 minutes later) | |
One of three sisters believed to have taken their children to Syria "didn't want her daughters to grow up in England", a friend of hers has said. | One of three sisters believed to have taken their children to Syria "didn't want her daughters to grow up in England", a friend of hers has said. |
The woman, who asked not to be named, told the BBC Zohra Dawood "didn't like the UK" and thought England was becoming "more like America". | The woman, who asked not to be named, told the BBC Zohra Dawood "didn't like the UK" and thought England was becoming "more like America". |
Ms Dawood and her sisters Khadija and Sugra, all from Bradford, went missing along with their nine children. | Ms Dawood and her sisters Khadija and Sugra, all from Bradford, went missing along with their nine children. |
Earlier an Islamic State (IS) smuggler said they had now reached Syria. | Earlier an Islamic State (IS) smuggler said they had now reached Syria. |
Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking at a security conference in Slovakia, warned of the dangers posed by those who "quietly condone" Islamic State militants' extremist ideology. | Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking at a security conference in Slovakia, warned of the dangers posed by those who "quietly condone" Islamic State militants' extremist ideology. |
The friend of Zohra Dawood, who wanted to remain anonymous because she said she feared for her life, said the mother told her: "I don't want my children living in this society." | The friend of Zohra Dawood, who wanted to remain anonymous because she said she feared for her life, said the mother told her: "I don't want my children living in this society." |
The friend added: "She says she wants to live in Saudi Arabia because she didn't like the UK." | The friend added: "She says she wants to live in Saudi Arabia because she didn't like the UK." |
'Happy children' | 'Happy children' |
Asked if she challenged Zohra over her views, the friend said: "No because by then Zohra completely ignored us. She didn't talk to anyone. I don't know what she was thinking." | Asked if she challenged Zohra over her views, the friend said: "No because by then Zohra completely ignored us. She didn't talk to anyone. I don't know what she was thinking." |
The friend also appealed for the return of the children. | The friend also appealed for the return of the children. |
"Why has she taken them into a war zone? They were perfectly happy children. We're all worried for the children," she said. | "Why has she taken them into a war zone? They were perfectly happy children. We're all worried for the children," she said. |
The women's brother is understood to be fighting with extremists in Syria. When asked who convinced Zohra to go to Syria, the friend said: "I think her brother - and she convinced her sisters to do the same to help their brother out." | The women's brother is understood to be fighting with extremists in Syria. When asked who convinced Zohra to go to Syria, the friend said: "I think her brother - and she convinced her sisters to do the same to help their brother out." |
The friend also said she was "shocked" to hear Sugra's son Ibrahim Iqbal, 14, say: "I'm going to Syria to fight." | The friend also said she was "shocked" to hear Sugra's son Ibrahim Iqbal, 14, say: "I'm going to Syria to fight." |
The sisters and their children went missing after travelling to Saudi Arabia for a religious pilgrimage on 28 May. | The sisters and their children went missing after travelling to Saudi Arabia for a religious pilgrimage on 28 May. |
Instead of flying home as their families expected, the group went missing and apparently flew to Turkey. | Instead of flying home as their families expected, the group went missing and apparently flew to Turkey. |
On Tuesday, two of their husbands made an emotional appeal for them to return. | On Tuesday, two of their husbands made an emotional appeal for them to return. |
But the IS smuggler told BBC Middle East correspondent Paul Wood they then split into two groups to cross the border into Syria. | But the IS smuggler told BBC Middle East correspondent Paul Wood they then split into two groups to cross the border into Syria. |
He said the first group went early on Wednesday and the second on Thursday. | He said the first group went early on Wednesday and the second on Thursday. |
The information fits with the news that Zohra sent a message to her family that she was inside Syria - but did not say exactly where. | The information fits with the news that Zohra sent a message to her family that she was inside Syria - but did not say exactly where. |
It is believed the group missed a previous flight to Saudi Arabia in March after being questioned by security officials. | It is believed the group missed a previous flight to Saudi Arabia in March after being questioned by security officials. |
The North East Counter Terrorism Unit said it was "continuing to make extensive enquiries" in order to try to bring the women and children home. | The North East Counter Terrorism Unit said it was "continuing to make extensive enquiries" in order to try to bring the women and children home. |
Prayers were said for the family at their local mosque in Bradford on Friday. | Prayers were said for the family at their local mosque in Bradford on Friday. |
In his speech earlier, Mr Cameron highlighted the role families and communities can play in countering radicalisation. | |
He said there were some members of the Muslim community who "don't go as far as advocating violence" but who "buy into some of these prejudices" of Islamist extremist ideology. | |
Mr Cameron said this "paves the way for young people to turn simmering prejudice into murderous intent". | |
The smugglers network | The smugglers network |
By Paul Wood, BBC Middle East correspondent | By Paul Wood, BBC Middle East correspondent |
Every armed group in Syria has its own network of smugglers - and the so-called Islamic State is no different. | Every armed group in Syria has its own network of smugglers - and the so-called Islamic State is no different. |
They move people - and sometimes cash and weapons - across the border for profit and for the cause. | They move people - and sometimes cash and weapons - across the border for profit and for the cause. |
Like all smugglers, IS uses a network of safe houses along the border, though the area of border open to them has been shrinking as they lose territory to a Kurdish military advance, backed by US airstrikes. | Like all smugglers, IS uses a network of safe houses along the border, though the area of border open to them has been shrinking as they lose territory to a Kurdish military advance, backed by US airstrikes. |
The Turkish security forces occasionally shoot, and kill, people crossing the border illegally, but most crossings are uneventful with many smugglers coming to "an arrangement" with the Turkish border guards. | The Turkish security forces occasionally shoot, and kill, people crossing the border illegally, but most crossings are uneventful with many smugglers coming to "an arrangement" with the Turkish border guards. |
Once inside Islamic State territory, however, the women and their children will not be allowed to leave. | Once inside Islamic State territory, however, the women and their children will not be allowed to leave. |
I spoke to an activist who runs a secret network trying to get disenchanted jihadis out of the so-called caliphate. | I spoke to an activist who runs a secret network trying to get disenchanted jihadis out of the so-called caliphate. |
He told me some 400 had been killed trying to leave - and that 200 women were under house arrest. | He told me some 400 had been killed trying to leave - and that 200 women were under house arrest. |