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| Family tell of shock over missing Bristol girl believed to be making way to Syria | |
| (3 days later) | |
| The family of a talented 15-year-old British girl who is feared to be on her way to Syria to join extremists, have spoken of their shock and confusion at the teenager’s disappearance. | The family of a talented 15-year-old British girl who is feared to be on her way to Syria to join extremists, have spoken of their shock and confusion at the teenager’s disappearance. |
| An international hunt is under way for Yusra Hussien, who left her family home apparently after telling her parents she was away on a school trip. Instead, police said, she was thought to have gone to London, where she met a 17-year-old girl and then flew to Turkey. | An international hunt is under way for Yusra Hussien, who left her family home apparently after telling her parents she was away on a school trip. Instead, police said, she was thought to have gone to London, where she met a 17-year-old girl and then flew to Turkey. |
| Avon and Somerset detectives are working with Scotland Yard anti-terrorist police and Turkish authorities to try to find if she crossed the border into Syria. | Avon and Somerset detectives are working with Scotland Yard anti-terrorist police and Turkish authorities to try to find if she crossed the border into Syria. |
| The girls’ parents, who are well-liked and respected members of the Somali community in Bristol, were taken aback when detectives established that she had left the country. They expressed their astonishment and said they had no idea the “intelligent, beautiful” girl had been planning to leave or why she might have gone. Friends said British-born Yusra, who had ambitions of becoming a dentist, had appeared “perfectly normal” in the days leading up to her disappearance. | The girls’ parents, who are well-liked and respected members of the Somali community in Bristol, were taken aback when detectives established that she had left the country. They expressed their astonishment and said they had no idea the “intelligent, beautiful” girl had been planning to leave or why she might have gone. Friends said British-born Yusra, who had ambitions of becoming a dentist, had appeared “perfectly normal” in the days leading up to her disappearance. |
| Senior members of the Somali community suggested that if she had been radicalised it must have been through the internet. Imams and elders have been warning parents in Bristol to look out for signs of radicalisation. | Senior members of the Somali community suggested that if she had been radicalised it must have been through the internet. Imams and elders have been warning parents in Bristol to look out for signs of radicalisation. |
| On Tuesday a steady stream of friends and relatives arrived at the family home, a mid-terraced house in the Easton area of Bristol just north of the city centre, to give support. Among them was Anira Khokhar, who described the teenager as “an intelligent, beautiful, young lady who is being missed by her family” and was in danger. | On Tuesday a steady stream of friends and relatives arrived at the family home, a mid-terraced house in the Easton area of Bristol just north of the city centre, to give support. Among them was Anira Khokhar, who described the teenager as “an intelligent, beautiful, young lady who is being missed by her family” and was in danger. |
| Speaking on behalf of Yusra’s parents, she said: “The family have lost a daughter. Their daughter is missing. The family are a small, tight, Somali family. They are very reserved.” | Speaking on behalf of Yusra’s parents, she said: “The family have lost a daughter. Their daughter is missing. The family are a small, tight, Somali family. They are very reserved.” |
| She criticised media speculation about the girl’s disappearance and the police decision to say she could have been radicalised. “All the words flying around the media – jihadist, radicalisation, extremism. There’s no proof at present. It’s an ongoing investigation. The family needs space, [as for] any missing person. It doesn’t matter what religion, race you are, there’s a girl that’s missing.” | She criticised media speculation about the girl’s disappearance and the police decision to say she could have been radicalised. “All the words flying around the media – jihadist, radicalisation, extremism. There’s no proof at present. It’s an ongoing investigation. The family needs space, [as for] any missing person. It doesn’t matter what religion, race you are, there’s a girl that’s missing.” |
| Hibaq Jama, a Bristol city councillor, read out an appeal to Yusra from her family, which said: “Please come back. We miss you very much. You’re not in any trouble. We just want you to be safe and come home as soon as possible.” | Hibaq Jama, a Bristol city councillor, read out an appeal to Yusra from her family, which said: “Please come back. We miss you very much. You’re not in any trouble. We just want you to be safe and come home as soon as possible.” |
| Afzal Shah, another councillor, also speaking with the parents’ knowledge, said: “There are so many chats forums on the internet it’s very easy to get led astray.” Asked if Yusra was radicalised, Shah said: “She was certainly online. The family had no clue. They noticed she was always on her phone or computer, but then who isn’t?” | Afzal Shah, another councillor, also speaking with the parents’ knowledge, said: “There are so many chats forums on the internet it’s very easy to get led astray.” Asked if Yusra was radicalised, Shah said: “She was certainly online. The family had no clue. They noticed she was always on her phone or computer, but then who isn’t?” |
| Police stood guard at the girl’s school, the City Academy. Friends said she was an A-grade student and seemed fine before her disappearance. They knew of no new friends of hers and she had not expressed any radical views, they said. | Police stood guard at the girl’s school, the City Academy. Friends said she was an A-grade student and seemed fine before her disappearance. They knew of no new friends of hers and she had not expressed any radical views, they said. |
| An unnamed family friend gave an insight into the family’s heartache in an article in the Bristol Post. | An unnamed family friend gave an insight into the family’s heartache in an article in the Bristol Post. |
| The friend said: “While I sat on the sofa I watched her mother sighing with so much pain. She was quiet but you could see her asking herself where she went wrong, were there signs she did not pick up on, could she have prevented this from happening?” | The friend said: “While I sat on the sofa I watched her mother sighing with so much pain. She was quiet but you could see her asking herself where she went wrong, were there signs she did not pick up on, could she have prevented this from happening?” |
| In the article the friend emphasised that the girl’s mother, a dinner lady, and her father, a youth worker and amateur football coach, were law abiding and close to her. She suggested the internet was a “brain-washing machine”. | In the article the friend emphasised that the girl’s mother, a dinner lady, and her father, a youth worker and amateur football coach, were law abiding and close to her. She suggested the internet was a “brain-washing machine”. |
| Neighbours also paid tribute to Yusra’s family. One, Gloria Maloney, 60, said the girl had not seemed her “normal smiley self” last time she saw her. “She had a sadness on her face.” | Neighbours also paid tribute to Yusra’s family. One, Gloria Maloney, 60, said the girl had not seemed her “normal smiley self” last time she saw her. “She had a sadness on her face.” |
| At the Somali Resource Centre, staff and committee members expressed bafflement that a young girl could be heading off to Syria. | At the Somali Resource Centre, staff and committee members expressed bafflement that a young girl could be heading off to Syria. |
| Avon and Somerset’s assistant chief constable, Louisa Rolfe, said there were indications that Yusra could have been radicalised. “We must all be vigilant and ready to spot the signs of radicalisation. Often, young Muslims who go to Syria can be naive and don’t recognise they’re being sucked into joining extremist groups.” | Avon and Somerset’s assistant chief constable, Louisa Rolfe, said there were indications that Yusra could have been radicalised. “We must all be vigilant and ready to spot the signs of radicalisation. Often, young Muslims who go to Syria can be naive and don’t recognise they’re being sucked into joining extremist groups.” |
| On Monday the Guardian revealed how hundreds of young women and girls were leaving their homes in western countries to join Islamist fighters. Girls as young as 14 were recruited via social media and went to Syria to marry jihadis. It was said that among them were the twin 16-year-old sisters Zahra and Salma Halane, who left their home in Chorlton, Manchester, and reportedly married Isis fighters. | On Monday the Guardian revealed how hundreds of young women and girls were leaving their homes in western countries to join Islamist fighters. Girls as young as 14 were recruited via social media and went to Syria to marry jihadis. It was said that among them were the twin 16-year-old sisters Zahra and Salma Halane, who left their home in Chorlton, Manchester, and reportedly married Isis fighters. |