Shamima Begum’s return to UK put on hold as case sent to Supreme Court

Shamima Begum’s return to the UK has been put on hold after the federal government was given permission to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Begum, now 20, was considered one of three east London schoolgirls who travelled to Syria to be part of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in 2015.

She lived below IS rule for greater than three years earlier than she was discovered, 9 months pregnant, in a Syrian refugee camp in February final yr.

Then-home secretary Sajid Javid revoked her British citizenship on nationwide safety grounds later that month.

Earlier this month, Court of Appeal judges dominated that Ms Begum must be allowed to return to the UK to problem the choice, saying it was “the only way in which she can have a fair and effective appeal”.

The judges discovered that “the national security concerns about her could be addressed and managed if she returns to the United Kingdom”.

But at a distant listening to on Friday, the federal government argued that the Court of Appeal wrongly concluded Ms Begum must be granted depart to enter the UK.

Lawyers for the Home Office mentioned there have been “significant national security concerns” about Ms Begum’s potential return.

Sir James Eadie QC mentioned: “The public will be less well protected if Ms Begum returns than it would be if she does not return.”

He argued that the case involved “an issue of real pressing public importance”, particularly what the courts ought to do when somebody “cannot have a fair and effective hearing in a deprivation appeal, but they cannot do so because… of going abroad and aligning with terrorist groups”.

Lady Justice King mentioned the case raised “points of law of general public importance” which must be thought of by the UK’s highest courtroom.

She mentioned that “clearly there must be a stay” on Ms Begum’s potential return to the UK “until further order by the Supreme Court”.

The choose additionally granted permission for Ms Begum’s legal professionals to problem the choice that the absence of a good and efficient enchantment didn’t imply her British citizenship must be restored, topic to the Supreme Court accepting that a part of the case.

Ms Begum was considered one of three schoolgirls from Bethnal Green Academy who left their properties and households to be part of IS in February 2015.

In an interview with Sky News final yr, she claimed she was “just a housewife” throughout her 4 years in IS’ self-declared caliphate, the place she married a younger Dutch fighter known as Yago Riedijk three weeks after arriving.

She mentioned she left Raqqa in January 2017 with her husband however her kids, a one-year-old girl and a three-month-old boy, had each since died.

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Her third little one, known as Jarrah, died shortly after he was born final yr.

Ms Begum travelled to Syria to be part of IS with fellow Bethnal Green Academy pupils Kadiza Sultana – who’s believed to have died – and Amira Abase, whose destiny stays unknown.