Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Daesh bride Shamima Begum 'says she is a rape victim'

A London school girl who travelled to Syria to join Daesh (Islamic State) now wants to return home to argue she was a victim of statutory rape, it was reported on Tuesday (22).

Shamima Begum, who left the UK when she was 15, could claim she was subjected to statutory rape by her Daesh fighter husband Yago Riedijk, her lawyer has claimed. Begum hopes to testify at a hearing on whether her British citizenship could be restored.


Tasnime Akunjee, Begum's lawyer, told the Daily Mirror that the teen was married in an Daesh ceremony within two weeks of reaching Syria to a 23-year-old fighter.

Her context is as a rape victim or a statutory rape victim.

Today, a specialist court that hears challenges to decisions to remove someone's British citizenship will begin a four-day preliminary hearing in London.

Meanwhile, a counter terror expert has said that Begum's show of remorse was only to return to the UK.

Chris Phillips told Good Morning Britain: She's not 15 now, she's 19.

She had full and frank knowledge of what she was doing. She was fully committed in the murders or the group who carried out the murders.

She is only showing remorse as she wants to come back. She won't be sentenced as there's no evidence that she was involved so she won't face trial.

She's 15 and lived in the east end of London she knew what she was doing.

The Home Office revoked Begum's British citizenship in February this year. At the time it was speculated that she was eligible for Bangladeshi citizenship through her parentage. But Bangladesh's minister of state for foreign affairs has denied this.

Just last month, home secretary Priti Patel told The Sun that Begum would not be allowed to return to the UK.

Patel told the paper: Our job is to keep our country safe.

We don't need people who have done harm and left our country to be part of a death cult and to perpetrate that ideology.

We cannot have people who would do us harm allowed to enter our country - and that includes this woman.

'Everything I see in terms of security and intelligence, I am simply not willing to allow anybody who has been an active supporter or campaigner for IS in this country.

More For You

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case
Bhim Kohli

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case

THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Friday (5) that the teenager’s sentence will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a prayer meet held for his long life at the Dalai Lama temple in the northern hill town of Dharamshala, India, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

THE Dalai Lama said on Saturday (5) he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, two decades longer than his previous prediction, following his assurance to followers that he would reincarnate as the spiritual head of the faith upon his death.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was speaking during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday (6), and as China insists it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama told Reuters in December he might live to 110.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK heatwave by mid-July

Daytime temperatures meeting or exceeding set thresholds of 25°C

iStock

Met Office warns of potential third UK heatwave by mid-July

Key points

  • Met Office forecasts rising temperatures by mid-July
  • Possible third heatwave after record-breaking June
  • High pressure system likely to bring hot air from the Atlantic
  • Yellow rain warning and flood alerts issued in parts of Scotland and Cumbria

Possible heatwave to return by mid-July

The UK could experience its third heatwave in a month by mid-July, the Met Office has said. Forecasters expect rising heat and humidity during the second weekend of July, following two weekends of unusually warm weather in late June.

June was officially the hottest on record in England, and the return of high temperatures could mean another heatwave for parts of the country. However, the Met Office cautioned that it is too early to confirm how hot conditions will get.

Keep ReadingShow less
crypto

Two men have been jailed for defrauding investors of £1.5 million through a fake crypto investment scheme. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Two jailed over £1.5m crypto investment scam

TWO people who duped investors of £1.5 million by selling fake investments in crypto have been jailed for 12 years, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.

Raymondip Bedi, of Bromley, and Patrick Mavanga, of Peckham, conned at least 65 people by cold-calling them between February 2017 and June 2019. They operated companies including CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP.

Keep ReadingShow less
Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE is now investigating more than 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects, following years of public criticism and institutional failings in tackling child sexual exploitation.

A new report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has revealed the force has made “significant improvements” in dealing with group-based sexual abuse and related crimes.

Keep ReadingShow less