The father of Shamima Begum, the 19-year-old who left London to join Islamic State in Syria, has urged the British government to allow her to return and face justice in the UK. Ahmed Ali, speaking from his home in Bangladesh, described his daughter as 'a little child' who 'made a mistake' and said she 'belongs to England'.
His comments to ITV News contradict an earlier interview in which he reportedly supported the government's decision to strip her of citizenship. Home Secretary Sajid Javid revoked Ms Begum's citizenship last week, arguing she qualified for Bangladeshi citizenship through her mother.
Mr Ali said: 'I don't think he's done the right thing because she is a British citizen, and if it turns out she has committed any crimes, then she should face justice in the UK.' He added: 'My daughter was a little child, she made a mistake, she didn't properly understand.'
Ms Begum was one of three schoolgirls from Bethnal Green who travelled to Syria in 2015. She resurfaced last week in a Syrian refugee camp, heavily pregnant. Her father said: 'My message to Shamima is, if any reporters come to you, acknowledge your mistake, she was a child, and she was a child and didn't understand what she was doing.'
