Friday, 29 Mar 2024

IS bride Shamima Begum can lose British citizenship ‘because she is dual national’

Islamic State bride Shamima Begum can have her UK citizenship revoked because she is a dual British-Bangladeshi national, Sky sources say.

Solicitor Tasnime Akunjee said the 19-year-old’s family were “very disappointed” after the Home Office made an order “depriving Shamima of her citizenship”.

“We are considering all legal avenues to challenge this decision,” he said.

Shamima Begum has told how she wants to come back to Britain after fleeing her London home to wed an IS fighter in Syria aged 15.

She gave birth this week in a Syrian refugee camp.

In a letter seen by ITV News, the Home Office said an order “removing her British citizenship” has been made.

The letter, addressed to Shamima Begum’s mother, says: “If you are in contact with your daughter, or are able to establish contact with her shortly, I would be very grateful if you could ensure the home secretary’s decision is brought to her attention, along with her right to appeal to the special immigration appeals commission, that arises as a result of the service and notice of intention to deprive her.”

Home Secretary Sajid Javid has previously said Shamima Begum will “face consequences” for backing IS.

Addressing the Commons on Monday, he revealed more than 100 people have been barred from entering Britain due to their status as foreigners, or by having their British citizenship stripped if they are dual nationals.

But, he highlighted how international law does not allow the UK to remove citizenship from those who are only British nationals.

Yet, Mr Javid vowed that “where individuals do manage to return, they will be questioned, investigated and potentially prosecuted”.

In an interview with Sky News, Shamima Begum said “a lot of people should have sympathy” for her as she spoke of her wish to return to the UK.

She also said the UK authorities had no evidence of her “doing anything dangerous”, in response to concerns she could pose a security threat.

In the interview with Sky correspondent John Sparks, she claimed she was “just a housewife” during her four years in the terrorist caliphate in Syria, where she married a young Dutch IS fighter called Yago Riedijk three weeks after she arrived in the country in 2015.

While she was aware of beheadings and executions being carried out by the extremists she said she was “okay with it”, because she had heard “Islamically that is allowed”.

Shamima Begum also told the BBC the Manchester Arena terror attack was “kind of retaliation” for bombings in Syria.

Under the 1981 British Nationality Act, a person can be deprived of their citizenship if the home secretary is satisfied that it would be “conducive to the public good” and they would not become stateless as a result.

Ms Begum has previously said she travelled to Syria with her sister’s UK passport but it was taken from her when she crossed the border.

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