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| Dewsbury 'in shock over UK's youngest suicide bomber' | Dewsbury 'in shock over UK's youngest suicide bomber' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Community leaders in the home town of a West Yorkshire teenager who reportedly carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq have spoken of their shock. | Community leaders in the home town of a West Yorkshire teenager who reportedly carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq have spoken of their shock. |
| Talha Asmal's family say he was groomed online, and Downing Street described the case as "deeply concerning". | Talha Asmal's family say he was groomed online, and Downing Street described the case as "deeply concerning". |
| But a pupil at the same school as Asmal, 17, has told the BBC he believes the sixth former was persuaded to join Islamic State by someone in Dewsbury. | But a pupil at the same school as Asmal, 17, has told the BBC he believes the sixth former was persuaded to join Islamic State by someone in Dewsbury. |
| Asmal travelled to Syria in March with the brother of a convicted terrorist. | |
| Hassan Munshi, who is also 17 and from Dewsbury, is still in Syria. | Hassan Munshi, who is also 17 and from Dewsbury, is still in Syria. |
| His brother was detained for two years in 2008 after being convicted of making a record of information likely to be used for terrorist purposes. | |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, a friend of the Asmal family also said he believed the teenager must have come under "some kind of peer pressure". | Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, a friend of the Asmal family also said he believed the teenager must have come under "some kind of peer pressure". |
| "You just can't go out and cross borders and go into another country and do whatever," Zubair Patel said. | "You just can't go out and cross borders and go into another country and do whatever," Zubair Patel said. |
| "It makes you think that there might be something here." | "It makes you think that there might be something here." |
| But Iqbal Bhana, a Home Office adviser on hate crimes, played down the suggestion. | But Iqbal Bhana, a Home Office adviser on hate crimes, played down the suggestion. |
| "If there is somebody like that we would like to know who it is. I'm absolutely certain that if we found out there was someone planting these kind of ideas into the minds of young people, converting them... we would want to confront and challenge them." | "If there is somebody like that we would like to know who it is. I'm absolutely certain that if we found out there was someone planting these kind of ideas into the minds of young people, converting them... we would want to confront and challenge them." |
| 'Calculated grooming' | 'Calculated grooming' |
| At least 11 people were killed in the car bombings carried out by four suicide bombers near the city of Baiji, north of Baghdad, on Saturday. | At least 11 people were killed in the car bombings carried out by four suicide bombers near the city of Baiji, north of Baghdad, on Saturday. |
| Social media reports linked to militant group Islamic State (IS) said Asmal, going by the name of Abu Yusuf al-Britani, was among the attackers. | Social media reports linked to militant group Islamic State (IS) said Asmal, going by the name of Abu Yusuf al-Britani, was among the attackers. |
| Confirmation would make Asmal Britain's youngest known suicide bomber. | Confirmation would make Asmal Britain's youngest known suicide bomber. |
| Another West Yorkshire teenager, Hasib Hussein, was 18 when he blew himself up on a London bus in the 7 July 2005 attacks. | Another West Yorkshire teenager, Hasib Hussein, was 18 when he blew himself up on a London bus in the 7 July 2005 attacks. |
| Tracking Britain's jihadists | Tracking Britain's jihadists |
| The stories of those who have died, been convicted of offences relating to the Islamic State conflict or are still in Syria or Iraq | The stories of those who have died, been convicted of offences relating to the Islamic State conflict or are still in Syria or Iraq |
| Dewsbury councillor Masood Ahmed said there had been no signs Asmal had been radicalised. | Dewsbury councillor Masood Ahmed said there had been no signs Asmal had been radicalised. |
| Lorraine Barker, executive principal of Mirfield Free Grammar and Sixth Form, where Asmal was studying, told the Times he was a "conscientious student". | Lorraine Barker, executive principal of Mirfield Free Grammar and Sixth Form, where Asmal was studying, told the Times he was a "conscientious student". |
| In a statement issued on Sunday, his family said he had been a "loving, kind, caring and affable teenager". | In a statement issued on Sunday, his family said he had been a "loving, kind, caring and affable teenager". |
| They said he had been "exploited by persons unknown who, hiding behind the anonymity of the world wide web... engaged in a process of deliberate and calculated grooming of him... | They said he had been "exploited by persons unknown who, hiding behind the anonymity of the world wide web... engaged in a process of deliberate and calculated grooming of him... |
| "We are all naturally utterly devastated and heartbroken". | "We are all naturally utterly devastated and heartbroken". |
| Alyas Karmani, an imam and independent councillor in Bradford, says the community is failing to do enough to counter the appeal of Islamic State to some young people. | Alyas Karmani, an imam and independent councillor in Bradford, says the community is failing to do enough to counter the appeal of Islamic State to some young people. |
| "What they're not doing is engaging their young people in terms of the emotional issues that they're affected by, engaging them in discussions around foreign policy - young people want to talk about these big political issues that are taking place globally," he said. | "What they're not doing is engaging their young people in terms of the emotional issues that they're affected by, engaging them in discussions around foreign policy - young people want to talk about these big political issues that are taking place globally," he said. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondent | By Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondent |
| Talha Asmal's family say he was groomed. That makes him, in their eyes, a teenage victim, rather than a criminal or terrorist. | Talha Asmal's family say he was groomed. That makes him, in their eyes, a teenage victim, rather than a criminal or terrorist. |
| Ten years ago, the UK had the same debate about suicide bombers from Yorkshire who killed 52 people in London in the 7/7 attacks. | Ten years ago, the UK had the same debate about suicide bombers from Yorkshire who killed 52 people in London in the 7/7 attacks. |
| Today, the UK's police and security agencies have a wide range of powers and techniques to disrupt would-be terrorists. | Today, the UK's police and security agencies have a wide range of powers and techniques to disrupt would-be terrorists. |
| But the police can't arrest everyone - and evidence shows it is difficult to bring someone back from the edge, once they are radicalised. | But the police can't arrest everyone - and evidence shows it is difficult to bring someone back from the edge, once they are radicalised. |
| In two weeks' time, public bodies, including schools, will be under a controversial but groundbreaking new legal duty to prevent people being drawn towards terrorism. | In two weeks' time, public bodies, including schools, will be under a controversial but groundbreaking new legal duty to prevent people being drawn towards terrorism. |
| Critically, it is directly linked to other legal duties of "safeguarding" the young from harm. | Critically, it is directly linked to other legal duties of "safeguarding" the young from harm. |
| So this really thorny question of "prevention rather than cure" is where the debate is now shifting. | So this really thorny question of "prevention rather than cure" is where the debate is now shifting. |
| Shahid Malik, former MP for Dewsbury and a family friend of the Asmals, said it was "disturbing" to see how relaxed Talha looked in the IS photographs allegedly taken prior to his suicide mission. | Shahid Malik, former MP for Dewsbury and a family friend of the Asmals, said it was "disturbing" to see how relaxed Talha looked in the IS photographs allegedly taken prior to his suicide mission. |
| "This is a clear indication of just how successful the evil Isis groomers have been in poisoning and brainwashing," he said. | "This is a clear indication of just how successful the evil Isis groomers have been in poisoning and brainwashing," he said. |
| He added: "Mosques need to confront this evil ideology head-on... I would say that up and down the country that is not happening at the moment." | He added: "Mosques need to confront this evil ideology head-on... I would say that up and down the country that is not happening at the moment." |
| Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper also urged a "stronger plan" for community-led action. | Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper also urged a "stronger plan" for community-led action. |
| The former independent reviewer of terror laws Lord Carlile told BBC Radio 4's Today programme MPs should be "working together" to produce solutions to the issue of radicalisation. | The former independent reviewer of terror laws Lord Carlile told BBC Radio 4's Today programme MPs should be "working together" to produce solutions to the issue of radicalisation. |
| He criticised some social media companies for not co-operating enough with the government and security services. | He criticised some social media companies for not co-operating enough with the government and security services. |
| Downing Street said the government wanted to work with social media firms to stop young people being targeted, but rejected the idea of compelling firms to co-operate through legislation. | Downing Street said the government wanted to work with social media firms to stop young people being targeted, but rejected the idea of compelling firms to co-operate through legislation. |
| David Cameron's official spokeswoman said the prime minister felt the case "underlines the need to do all we can to prevent young people being radicalised and, if they are thinking of travelling, to stop them from doing so". | David Cameron's official spokeswoman said the prime minister felt the case "underlines the need to do all we can to prevent young people being radicalised and, if they are thinking of travelling, to stop them from doing so". |
| It comes as Kenya says a Briton was among 11 al-Shabab gunmen killed in a failed attack on a military base. | It comes as Kenya says a Briton was among 11 al-Shabab gunmen killed in a failed attack on a military base. |
| Thomas Evans, 25, a Muslim convert from Buckinghamshire, joined the Islamist group in Somalia three years ago. | Thomas Evans, 25, a Muslim convert from Buckinghamshire, joined the Islamist group in Somalia three years ago. |
| At least 700 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist organisations in Iraq and Syria, with the majority joining IS. | At least 700 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist organisations in Iraq and Syria, with the majority joining IS. |
| The Home Office said since 2011 it had trained more than 160,000 people to identify and prevent extremism; excluded nearly 100 "hate preachers" and taken down more than 90,000 pieces of terrorist-related material from the internet. | The Home Office said since 2011 it had trained more than 160,000 people to identify and prevent extremism; excluded nearly 100 "hate preachers" and taken down more than 90,000 pieces of terrorist-related material from the internet. |
| It had also removed or refused 30 passports in 2013 and 2014 where people were considered to be at risk of travelling to Syria or Iraq. | It had also removed or refused 30 passports in 2013 and 2014 where people were considered to be at risk of travelling to Syria or Iraq. |
| Britons taking terror overseas | Britons taking terror overseas |