Shamima Begum Asks to Return to UK After Joining Extremists

(HorizonPost.com) – In February 2015, three 15- and 16-year old girls who were schoolmates in East London, United Kingdom (UK) left their families, took a plane to Turkey and then a bus to the Syrian border. They then crossed over and joined the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria/Levant (ISIS). One of the girls, Shamima Begum, in a recent interview with Good Morning Britain (GMB), has asked the government to allow her to come home. Her citizenship was revoked in 2019 for national security reasons.

Based on a public plea she made to Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson to reinstate her citizenship, there appears to be grassroots support for her because she was “only 15” when she left. However, she struck a sassy tone at times, saying she said she could come home and help in the fight against terrorism because “you clearly don’t know what you’re doing.” She threw down a gauntlet, challenging the government to put her on trial if they really believe she helped the terrorists.

Sajid Javid, the home secretary who took away her citizenship, hit back at her claims she never played a part in terrorism, saying he had intel the public does not. Others who agree she should be kept out point out the bright 15-year-old girl could easily have found out what ISIS stands for with a simple internet search.

ISIS bride Shamima Begum says she didn't know what ISIS was up to when she joined. She thought she was just joining some lovely Islamic commune. I'm sorry, but no. The crimes of ISIS could be found in the media leading up to her decision to join the genocidal, barbaric cult. https://t.co/VQPqdtiTLh

— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) September 15, 2021

What is the right call for the UK to make? Some argue that it’s somewhat cruel to leave the now 22-year-old woman in a refugee camp for a “mistake” she made as a teenager. However, others feel the risk is too great and that denying her entry is the best decision for all UK citizens. Perhaps the question isn’t quite right. Maybe it should be, IS there a right call?