A Conservative MP has called on Labour to prevent Shamima Begum from returning to the UK to argue her case, amid revelations that the Metropolitan Police knew a Canadian spy helped her join Islamic State. The MP's comments come as a new book claims Canadian intelligence officers informed British police about their involvement with Mohammed al-Rashed, who assisted Begum's travel to Syria in 2015.
The book, 'The Secret History of the Five Eyes', reports that the Canadians admitted their connection to al-Rashed shortly after Begum crossed the Syrian border. Al-Rashed, an informant for Canadian intelligence, had helped the then-15-year-old and her friends travel from Istanbul to the Syrian border. The revelation strengthens arguments that Begum was trafficked rather than a willing terrorist.
Begum's case is set to return to court in November, as she seeks to restore her British citizenship, revoked by then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid in 2019. The Supreme Court previously heard an MI5 assessment that Begum aligned with IS after remaining in its territory past age 18, and that public sentiment was overwhelmingly hostile to her.
Begum remains in a detention camp in north-east Syria. In a recent interview, she expressed a desire to return to the UK to face any charges, stating she would 'rather die than go back to IS'. However, the Home Office continues to oppose her return, arguing it is politically popular to do so, despite questions over the national security threat she poses.
