A group of around 30 British women based in northern Syria are actively encouraging terrorist attacks in the UK, according to research by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) at King’s College London. Monitoring of their social media accounts reveals that some are acting as recruiters for Islamic State (Isis) and openly praising attacks such as the Charlie Hebdo shootings.
Melanie Smith, research fellow at the ICSR, said the women are telling those unable to travel to Syria to ‘carry out something at home’. The findings challenge the portrayal of female jihadis as passive supporters, suggesting they pose a direct threat. Smith noted that while women may lack military training, they can still be used in suicide bombings and lone-wolf operations.
Among those identified is a 16-year-old from Manchester who celebrated the Paris shootings on Twitter, and another woman who urged killing ‘as many kafirs they can’. Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking from Washington, described the threat as ‘very severe’ and an attack as ‘highly likely’, stressing the need for a long-term strategy.
Foreign ministers from around 20 countries are to meet in London this Thursday to discuss counter-Isis efforts, focusing on military action, financing, foreign fighters, and communications. The UK’s role in EU security cooperation was also flagged, with former diplomat Lord Hannay warning that leaving the EU could leave Britain ‘out in the cold’ on terrorism matters.
