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| Brother of UK's youngest convicted terrorist feared to have joined Isis | Brother of UK's youngest convicted terrorist feared to have joined Isis |
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| The teenage brother of Britain’s youngest convicted terrorist is feared to have travelled to Syria to join Islamic State militants. | The teenage brother of Britain’s youngest convicted terrorist is feared to have travelled to Syria to join Islamic State militants. |
| Hassan Munshi and his friend Talha Asmal secretly left their homes in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, last week and caught a flight from Manchester airport to Turkey. | Hassan Munshi and his friend Talha Asmal secretly left their homes in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, last week and caught a flight from Manchester airport to Turkey. |
| The 17-year-olds arrived in Dalaman last Tuesday but are now feared to have crossed the border into Syria. | The 17-year-olds arrived in Dalaman last Tuesday but are now feared to have crossed the border into Syria. |
| Hassan is the younger brother of Hammad Munshi, who was arrested on the way home from school aged 16, and was 18 when he was convicted of terror offences in 2008. | Hassan is the younger brother of Hammad Munshi, who was arrested on the way home from school aged 16, and was 18 when he was convicted of terror offences in 2008. |
| Police officers found a guide to explosives and notes on martyrdom hidden in Hammad’s bedroom. | Police officers found a guide to explosives and notes on martyrdom hidden in Hammad’s bedroom. |
| Assistant chief constable Mark Milsom of West Yorkshire police said officers were “extremely concerned for the safety of the boys” and that their families were “gravely worried” about them. | Assistant chief constable Mark Milsom of West Yorkshire police said officers were “extremely concerned for the safety of the boys” and that their families were “gravely worried” about them. |
| The pair were not officially named by West Yorkshire police but it is understood that Hassan and Talha are those missing and believed to be in Syria. | The pair were not officially named by West Yorkshire police but it is understood that Hassan and Talha are those missing and believed to be in Syria. |
| Milsom said: “Syria is an extremely dangerous place and the public will be aware of the dangers these boys may face. The choice of returning home from Syria is often taken away from those that come under the control of Islamic State, leaving their families in the UK devastated and with very few options to secure their safe return. | Milsom said: “Syria is an extremely dangerous place and the public will be aware of the dangers these boys may face. The choice of returning home from Syria is often taken away from those that come under the control of Islamic State, leaving their families in the UK devastated and with very few options to secure their safe return. |
| “Anyone who is concerned that a friend, family or relative may be contemplating travelling to Syria can discuss with the local police or local authorities’ safeguarding units either by contacting 101 or attending their local neighbourhood policing teams. | “Anyone who is concerned that a friend, family or relative may be contemplating travelling to Syria can discuss with the local police or local authorities’ safeguarding units either by contacting 101 or attending their local neighbourhood policing teams. |
| “By discussing with local officers, they can intervene and provide families with support and advice. Our priority is to keep our communities safe and deter them away from areas of danger such as Syria. | “By discussing with local officers, they can intervene and provide families with support and advice. Our priority is to keep our communities safe and deter them away from areas of danger such as Syria. |
| “This is not about criminalising people. It is about preventing tragedies by offering support to communities, families, young and vulnerable people.” | “This is not about criminalising people. It is about preventing tragedies by offering support to communities, families, young and vulnerable people.” |
| “Anyone with any information should call the police immediately on 101 or the confidential Anti Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.” | “Anyone with any information should call the police immediately on 101 or the confidential Anti Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.” |
| Kirklees council chief executive Adrian Lythgo said: “We are deeply concerned for these young people and will continue to work in close partnership with the Counter Terrorism Unit, West Yorkshire police, our communities and schools to prevent and eradicate any threats and concerns. | Kirklees council chief executive Adrian Lythgo said: “We are deeply concerned for these young people and will continue to work in close partnership with the Counter Terrorism Unit, West Yorkshire police, our communities and schools to prevent and eradicate any threats and concerns. |
| “We need to talk openly about these risks that are posed to our young people, and to work together to protect them. Communities and families can contact police about anyone they feel may be vulnerable. This includes anyone who is showing signs of becoming radicalised, who may have returned to the UK from Syria, or may be planning to go to Syria, or another conflict zone.” | “We need to talk openly about these risks that are posed to our young people, and to work together to protect them. Communities and families can contact police about anyone they feel may be vulnerable. This includes anyone who is showing signs of becoming radicalised, who may have returned to the UK from Syria, or may be planning to go to Syria, or another conflict zone.” |
| The boys were last seen by their families on Tuesday 31 March, police said. Without telling their parents, later that day the pair are believed to have boarded a Thomas Cook flight at Manchester airport to Dalaman, in Turkey. | The boys were last seen by their families on Tuesday 31 March, police said. Without telling their parents, later that day the pair are believed to have boarded a Thomas Cook flight at Manchester airport to Dalaman, in Turkey. |
| The pair are from Savile Town in south Dewsbury, which has previous links to Islamist extremism. Mohammad Sidique Khan, the leader of the group responsible for the 7 July bombings in London, grew up in the area. | The pair are from Savile Town in south Dewsbury, which has previous links to Islamist extremism. Mohammad Sidique Khan, the leader of the group responsible for the 7 July bombings in London, grew up in the area. |
| In Savile Town on Tuesday, people were very reluctant to talk about the missing boys. An imam at the Markazi mosque, where Hassan’s grandfather was reportedly a senior figure, said the boys “did not come here”. When asked about the reaction to the news, he said he did not want to speak for the local community and declined to comment further. | |
| One local man who claimed to know the family described the situation as “tragic” and said the family were “in bits”. He blamed the government for not stopping the teenagers flying to Turkey: “The airport officials and the government haven’t done their job properly.” “If it was a child from Westminster they would have done something,” he said. He also claimed the police and government neglected the area. | |
| Hammad Munshi was sentenced to two years in a young offenders’ institution for stockpiling terror guides, including files from the internet about making napalm, detonators and grenades. | Hammad Munshi was sentenced to two years in a young offenders’ institution for stockpiling terror guides, including files from the internet about making napalm, detonators and grenades. |
| He was arrested on his way home from a GCSE chemistry exam in 2006 and found with two small bags of ball-bearings. | He was arrested on his way home from a GCSE chemistry exam in 2006 and found with two small bags of ball-bearings. |
| He is the grandson of prominent local Islamic scholar Yakub Munshi, who was reportedly the driving force behind the creation of Dewsbury’s first Sharia court. | He is the grandson of prominent local Islamic scholar Yakub Munshi, who was reportedly the driving force behind the creation of Dewsbury’s first Sharia court. |
| In an interview with the BBC in 2005, Yakub condemned those responsible for the 7 July London bombings. “It was a black mark on humanity that day and we are all ashamed,” he said. “It is the victims of those bombs who died who are the martyrs.” | In an interview with the BBC in 2005, Yakub condemned those responsible for the 7 July London bombings. “It was a black mark on humanity that day and we are all ashamed,” he said. “It is the victims of those bombs who died who are the martyrs.” |