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Original poster

14 yr olds fly from Gatwick to Turkey to join ISIS

72 replies

3littlefrogs · 20/02/2015 20:44

How can this happen?
I can't find a link, but just heard on the news that 3 girls aged from 14 to 15 from Bethnal Green Academy managed to go to Gatwick, fly to turkey, and apparently on to Syria to join ISIS.

Surely someone checks at border control at some point?

OP posts:
DoraGora · 21/02/2015 07:56

Questions here and authorisations there might only be so much shifting deckchairs on the Titanic. The problem is why do 15yr old girls want to travel to Syria in the first place?

Farahilda · 21/02/2015 08:03

BBC think piece from last October on why Western women are joining ISIS.

Farahilda · 21/02/2015 08:18

There is now a thread in AIBU which seems to suggest that the girls have reached Syria

mrsmootoo · 21/02/2015 11:16

I thought teenagers could only fly unaccompanied with a letter of permission from parent/guardian. Our DD1 (16) flew to Europe unaccompanied (with our consent!) and left unchallenged. However she was challenged at a German airport when she came to return and was told she should have a had a letter from us - and presumably should therefore also have been challenged when leaving the UK.

26Point2Miles · 21/02/2015 12:21

So how has this all been arranged? Someone has booked and paid for flights and sorted accomadation and contacts for when they reach Syria. Maybe even false passports? If they have a date of birth which makes them over 18 then they won't be challenged

JoanHickson · 21/02/2015 12:44

My dc forge my signature when we forget the school homework diary. I am sure they could type something out and travel with a PR letter.

Farahilda · 21/02/2015 12:49

It's quite possible that the exact detail of how flights were paid for, or whether any letters were produced, or if purpose of travel was asked for, or if anyone saw them off, are all lines of enquiry.

But for them to travel on to Syria from Turkey, they'll presumably have needed some sort of facilitator in Turkey. And in these days of book and pay online, print your own ticket (if needed) check in remotely, print own boarding card, I imagine the entire journey could have been arranged (and scripted?) from there.

tomandizzymum · 21/02/2015 13:01

26Point2Miles Is it something going on in that school? That's a scary thought!

They are still children, leaving them to face the consequences of their actions is heartless and would only provide ISIS fuel for their fire. If they cannot be retrieved, that is extremely sad.

26Point2Miles · 21/02/2015 13:42

Well of course they can't be retrieved from Syria...children or not, if they've in any way been radicalised I wouldn't want them back in school sat near my kids, would you?

CogitoErgoSometimes · 21/02/2015 14:10

I think it should be everyone's concern that children are being groomed this way. Because that's really what we're talking about. Unscrupulous adults, by whatever means, luring naive children away from homes and families, brainwashing them with various promises and hiding their real intentions. It's disturbing that they've been able to blag their way through an international airport without being effectively challenged.

I hope they can be returned to their families safe and sound. And I hope they are sat next to everyone else's kids next term, none the worse for their experience.

26Point2Miles · 21/02/2015 15:08

What when they've been groomed and taught how to hurt, kill and destroy innocent people? Radicalised enough to leave their families in the first place.... Nah, can guarantee they would be nowhere near my kids thanks!

tomandizzymum · 21/02/2015 15:15

Well of course they can't be retrieved from Syria...children or not, if they've in any way been radicalised I wouldn't want them back in school sat near my kids, would you?

I would want them to get help.

JoanHickson · 21/02/2015 15:22

I gather there is little or no psychological training to help the former radicalised.

I was watching BBC breakfast this morning and they were commenting the A* students are now being targeted by Islamic State.

DoraGora · 21/02/2015 15:25

There was an Inside Out London report about a boy who returned from Syria and got no mental heath assistance
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-terror-fears-my-jihadist-son-returned-mentally-scarred--now-he-is-being-ignored-9986669.html

26Point2Miles · 21/02/2015 15:29

What 'help' tom? The NHS is overstretched as it is.... Teenage mental health specialists have long,long waiting lists. Whilst they wait 6 months to see a psych what will they do with themselves? Do they even have mental health issues?

tomandizzymum · 21/02/2015 16:02

I gather there is little or no psychological training to help the former radicalised.

Well that's going to have to change if these stories are anything to go by.

Yusuf_Al-Qaradawi and others like him have been trying to reach youth and combat extremism for years. Obama has mentioned that Muslim groups can provide the best counter-terroism solutions in the USA. I would think following suit and funding youth groups to do this in the UK would be a start.

No, I don't think the NHS can actually do much TBH.

26Point2Miles · 21/02/2015 16:37

Where's the money for that going to come from?

VikingVolva · 21/02/2015 16:42

'Where's the money for that going to come from?'

In addition to current counter-radicalisation spending? Probably the wider counter-terrorism budget. Depending on which year you look at, there's between about £35m-£65m on the former. Not sure about the latter, but it's probably readily discoverable from Govt accounts.

Do you think there needs to be more spending? Or do there need to be changes to what is already happening?

DoraGora · 21/02/2015 16:45

The government's Prevent agenda is already funded. But, I'm not sure that anyone can or will do anything to help returning jihadis. The message is consistently don't go out there in the first place. The world is full of people of all kinds who need help and aren't getting any. I don't see why repentant jihadis should be treated differently.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 21/02/2015 17:28

These are children. English children. I'm getting the distinct impression from some contributors here that, because their parents are from another country and because they wear headscarves, they don't 'count' when it comes to the protection of the UK. That we should write them off and leave them to their fate. Hmm Find that alarming.

26Point2Miles · 21/02/2015 18:02

I have no idea where the parents are from, sorry

Bowlersarm · 21/02/2015 18:18

I'm with 26 . It's a mess, but these girls have made a decision.

tomandizzymum · 21/02/2015 18:30

Repentant Jihadists don't need help. They repentended, they might be partof the solution.

Children that joined up in WW1 were shot when they deserted. Their fault for joining up, right? I'd like to think we've moved on from that attitude!

Bowlersarm · 21/02/2015 18:41

tom I am a bit haunted in war conflict discussions by the lad in ww1 who lied about his age to join up and fight for his country, aged 17 fell asleep on night watch, and was executed because of it. The worst example of something being unjust.

26Point2Miles · 21/02/2015 19:12

Sky news have added an article about how they are recruiting girls. Not sure about it tbh