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| 'Syria-bound' girls: Amira Abase's father pleads for her return | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The father of one of three London girls believed to be heading to Syria has pleaded for his daughter to come home, saying his family "can't stop crying". | The father of one of three London girls believed to be heading to Syria has pleaded for his daughter to come home, saying his family "can't stop crying". |
| Amira Abase, Shamima Begum, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, travelled to Turkey on Tuesday and it is feared they plan to join Islamic State in Syria. | |
| Amira's father Abase Hussen said there had been "no sign" his daughter was thinking of leaving. | |
| In a message to her, he said: "Please think twice. Don't go to Syria." | |
| Kadiza, Shamima and Amira, who all attended Bethnal Green Academy in east London, flew from Gatwick to Turkey after telling their parents they were going out for the day. | Kadiza, Shamima and Amira, who all attended Bethnal Green Academy in east London, flew from Gatwick to Turkey after telling their parents they were going out for the day. |
| It is not clear whether the London girls - all "star GCSE pupils" - have crossed from Turkey into Syria. | It is not clear whether the London girls - all "star GCSE pupils" - have crossed from Turkey into Syria. |
| Police said the girls had previously been interviewed after another girl from their school went to Syria in December, but nothing had indicated they were at risk. | |
| Mr Hussein said Amira had not spoken about Syria or politics with her family and said: "There was no sign to suspect her at all." | Mr Hussein said Amira had not spoken about Syria or politics with her family and said: "There was no sign to suspect her at all." |
| In a direct appeal to his daughter, he said: "Remember how we love you. Your sister and brother cannot stop crying." | In a direct appeal to his daughter, he said: "Remember how we love you. Your sister and brother cannot stop crying." |
| The girls left their homes before 08:00 GMT on Tuesday, providing their families with "plausible" reasons as to why they would be out for the day, police have said. | |
| However, they boarded a Turkish Airlines flight, which departed at 12:40 GMT to Istanbul. | |
| Mr Hussen said Amira had told him she was going to a wedding and sent a text between 10:00 and 11:00 GMT. | |
| "She said, 'Dad the place is a little bit far. I pray my midday prayer and I get back.' She didn't come home," Mr Hussen said. | |
| The family reported Amira as missing that night. | |
| "We are depressed, and it's very stressful," he said. | |
| "The message we have for Amira is to get back home. We miss you. We cannot stop crying. Please think twice. Don't go to Syria." | |
| He said his daughter had never spoken about an interest in the militant group with him. | |
| "She doesn't dare discuss something like this with us. She knows what the answer would be," he said. | |
| 'Questions to answer' | |
| It comes as the family of a Glasgow woman who may have encouraged the three girls to join IS said officials had "failed" to stop them leaving the UK. | |
| Aqsa Mahmood, 20, who went to Syria to be a "jihadi bride" in 2013, reportedly had online contact with one of the girls. | |
| In a statement, Ms Mahmood's family said she was a "disgrace" to the family they were "full of horror and anger" that she may have had "a role to play" in recruiting the girls. | |
| "However, the security services have serious questions to answer," the family added. | |
| Scotland Yard said it would not discuss matters of surveillance and security. |