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| Schoolgirl's 'Syria death' prompts call for Prevent review | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Labour MP has expressed "huge concerns" about the counter-terrorism strategy in UK schools, after reports one of three east London teenagers who fled to Syria has been killed. | |
| Kadiza Sultana, who joined so-called Islamic State (IS) last year, is feared to have died in a Russian air strike in Raqqa, her family solicitor has said. | Kadiza Sultana, who joined so-called Islamic State (IS) last year, is feared to have died in a Russian air strike in Raqqa, her family solicitor has said. |
| She was 16 when she left Bethnal Green with two friends from the same school. | She was 16 when she left Bethnal Green with two friends from the same school. |
| Labour's Rushanara Ali said the Prevent strategy needed a "proper assessment". | |
| Ms Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme the government needed to establish "what's working and what's not". | |
| The BBC has asked the government for its response. | The BBC has asked the government for its response. |
| Who are Britain’s jihadists? | Who are Britain’s jihadists? |
| The Britons signing up for Jihad | The Britons signing up for Jihad |
| Kadiza and school friends Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, both 15 at the time, flew from Gatwick to Turkey on 17 February 2015 after telling their parents they were going out for the day. | Kadiza and school friends Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, both 15 at the time, flew from Gatwick to Turkey on 17 February 2015 after telling their parents they were going out for the day. |
| The Bethnal Green Academy pupils later entered Syria and were thought to be living in Raqqa, an IS stronghold. | The Bethnal Green Academy pupils later entered Syria and were thought to be living in Raqqa, an IS stronghold. |
| The three girls had been studying for their GCSEs at Bethnal Green Academy, in Tower Hamlets, east London - where they have been described as "straight-A students". | The three girls had been studying for their GCSEs at Bethnal Green Academy, in Tower Hamlets, east London - where they have been described as "straight-A students". |
| Tasnime Akunjee, a solicitor representing the families of the three schoolgirls, told BBC Newsnight they heard a report of Kadiza's death a few weeks ago. | Tasnime Akunjee, a solicitor representing the families of the three schoolgirls, told BBC Newsnight they heard a report of Kadiza's death a few weeks ago. |
| He said they had not been able to independently confirm it because of the nature of information from Syria. | He said they had not been able to independently confirm it because of the nature of information from Syria. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent | By Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent |
| Kadiza Sultana and her two travelling companions were part of a surge of young British Muslims heading out to Syria to join so-called IS in a movement that peaked more than a year ago. | Kadiza Sultana and her two travelling companions were part of a surge of young British Muslims heading out to Syria to join so-called IS in a movement that peaked more than a year ago. |
| Today the surge has turned to barely a trickle. | Today the surge has turned to barely a trickle. |
| The latest UK Government counter-terrorism strategy report puts the number of Britons who reached Syria at about 850 - although unofficial estimates are higher. | The latest UK Government counter-terrorism strategy report puts the number of Britons who reached Syria at about 850 - although unofficial estimates are higher. |
| Of those, about 125 are believed to have been killed, either by air strikes or by fighting on the ground, and about 400 are thought to have returned to Britain. | Of those, about 125 are believed to have been killed, either by air strikes or by fighting on the ground, and about 400 are thought to have returned to Britain. |
| Anyone known to have travelled to IS-controlled territory is automatically questioned by the police and assessed on a case-by-case basis. | Anyone known to have travelled to IS-controlled territory is automatically questioned by the police and assessed on a case-by-case basis. |
| If there is any evidence of terrorist-related activity they face prosecution, but others are steered towards deradicalisation programmes and given counselling, with a view to reintegrating them into society here. | If there is any evidence of terrorist-related activity they face prosecution, but others are steered towards deradicalisation programmes and given counselling, with a view to reintegrating them into society here. |
| It is the job of the Home Office and the police to make the correct assessments. | It is the job of the Home Office and the police to make the correct assessments. |
| Under laws brought in last summer, schools have a legal obligation, known as the "Prevent Duty", to spot and report individuals who might be vulnerable to extremism and radicalisation. | |
| Schools have to assess the risk of pupils being drawn into extremist ideologies and schools must ensure pupils do not access extremist material online. | |
| Teachers have previously warned the strategy is "shutting down" open debate in schools, encouraging a climate of "over-reaction", and creating "suspicion and confusion" in schools. | |
| The government has said Prevent is playing "a key role" in identifying children at risk of radicalisation. | |
| However, Ms Ali told Today the case of the three schoolgirls highlighted the fact it was not working. | |
| "Many have concerns about how Prevent is being implemented, concerns about young Muslims being stigmatised," she said. | "Many have concerns about how Prevent is being implemented, concerns about young Muslims being stigmatised," she said. |
| "There needs to be a balance struck to protect young people, to prevent them from being radicalised, but also making sure teachers and other agencies have the proper advice training and support." | "There needs to be a balance struck to protect young people, to prevent them from being radicalised, but also making sure teachers and other agencies have the proper advice training and support." |
| She added: "What the government needs to do is do a proper assessment of what's working and what's not and they need to listen to the Muslim community... | She added: "What the government needs to do is do a proper assessment of what's working and what's not and they need to listen to the Muslim community... |
| "But that requires partnership between communities." | "But that requires partnership between communities." |
| 'Extremist propaganda' | 'Extremist propaganda' |
| Sara Khan, co-founder of the counter-extremism organisation Inspire, told Today that she saw Kadiza as a victim, "because she's not an adult". | Sara Khan, co-founder of the counter-extremism organisation Inspire, told Today that she saw Kadiza as a victim, "because she's not an adult". |
| Young girls who are exposed to radicalisation "lack critical thinking skills", which "is what makes them vulnerable to Islamist extremist propaganda in particular", she said. | Young girls who are exposed to radicalisation "lack critical thinking skills", which "is what makes them vulnerable to Islamist extremist propaganda in particular", she said. |
| She added that girls being exposed to extremist material were "not receiving counter-messages". | She added that girls being exposed to extremist material were "not receiving counter-messages". |
| The Bethnal Green schoolgirls were among more than 800 Britons who are believed to have left the UK to join IS or other militant groups in Syria and Iraq, | The Bethnal Green schoolgirls were among more than 800 Britons who are believed to have left the UK to join IS or other militant groups in Syria and Iraq, |
| In February 2015 the principal of Bethnal Green Academy, Mark Keary, said there was no evidence that the girls were radicalised at school, adding that pupils could not access Twitter or Facebook on its computers. | In February 2015 the principal of Bethnal Green Academy, Mark Keary, said there was no evidence that the girls were radicalised at school, adding that pupils could not access Twitter or Facebook on its computers. |
| It later emerged that, before leaving the UK, Shamima Begum had sent a Twitter message to Aqsa Mahmood, who left Glasgow for Syria in 2013 to marry an Islamic State fighter. | It later emerged that, before leaving the UK, Shamima Begum had sent a Twitter message to Aqsa Mahmood, who left Glasgow for Syria in 2013 to marry an Islamic State fighter. |
| A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria. As all UK consular services there are suspended, it is extremely difficult to confirm the status and whereabouts of British nationals in Syria. | A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria. As all UK consular services there are suspended, it is extremely difficult to confirm the status and whereabouts of British nationals in Syria. |
| "Anyone who does travel to these areas, for whatever reason, is putting themselves in considerable danger." | "Anyone who does travel to these areas, for whatever reason, is putting themselves in considerable danger." |