ISIS bride Shamima Begum has lost her Supreme Court appeal to return to Britain to fight the removal of her British citizenship, leaving her stuck in a Syrian detention camp.
The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Home Office, saying British-born Ms Begum, 21, should not be allowed to return while she challenges the Home Office’s citizenship decision.
The ruling could be a blow to other British-born jihadi wives hoping to one day come back to the UK.
In the Begum case, the UK’s top court overturned an earlier decision by appeal judges, unanimously stating the lower court was wrong to find that she should be allowed to enter the UK to pursue her citizenship case.
After being told that she had lost, Ms Begum was seen walking through the al-Roj camp in Syria, and appeared to turn her face away from a TV news crew’s camera.
She was wearing sunglasses, a jacket, t-shirt, leggings and white trainers when the video was recorded by ITV News.
She was usually seen wearing traditional clothing when tracked down by journalists in the past.
In the video, she appears to turn her face away from the news camera and walk hurriedly towards a cluster of tens as children play outside.
Ms Begum was 15 when she and two other east London schoolgirls ran away to Syria to join the self-proclaimed Islamic State in February 2015. She could be the only one still alive.
Then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid revoked her British citizenship on national security grounds shortly after she was found, nine months pregnant, in a Syrian refugee camp in February 2019.
At the time, she told reporters she didn’t regret joining ISIS, but begged to be rescued and brought back to the UK.
Begum’s case has been the subject of a heated debate, pitting those who say she forsook her right to citizenship by travelling to join ISIS against those who argue she should not be left stateless but rather face trial in Britain.
Downing Street said it was “pleased” with the decision by the Supreme Court to block Shamima Begum’s return to the UK to pursue an appeal against the removal of her British citizenship.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister told reporters: “We are obviously pleased with the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision.
“As we’ve said before, the Government’s priority is maintaining our national security. Decisions to deprive individuals of their citizenship are not taken lightly.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “The Supreme Court has unanimously found in favour of the Government’s position and reaffirmed the Home Secretary’s authority to make vital national security decisions.
“The Government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens.”
-Mirror
