Shamima Begum is a British-born citizen whose citizenship was canceled after she left the UK to join the Islamic State group (IS). Where is she now in 2021?
Shamima Begum is one of three girls from east London who left for Syria at age 15 and joined the Islamic State group (IS). She lived under IS rule for more than three years.
Ms. Begum was born to Bangladeshi parents in England and was raised as a Muslim in the Tower Hamlets area of East London.
She served as an enforcer in IS and attempted to recruit other young women to join the jihadist group. She was considered a strict enforcer of ISIL’s laws and was allowed to carry a Kalashnikov rifle.
Where Is Shamima Begum Now In 2021?
Shamima Begum is currently living in a Syrian refugee camp called Al-Roj camp. She has been staying in the camp since at least February 2016.
Her British citizenship was revoked in 2019. The authorities stated that she would never be allowed to return to the UK, reported BBC.
Shamima Begum Husband & Children
Shamima Begum married her husband Yago Riedijik ten days after arriving in Syria. Yago is Dutch-born and converted to Islam.
She was underage at the time of their wedding so their marriage may not be recognized under Dutch law. She had three children with her husband, however, none of them survived.
She was nine months pregnant when she was discovered in a Syrian refugee camp. She gave birth to a baby boy, Jarrah. But the baby later died of pneumonia.
She also lost her first two children before they reached the age of two. She was informed that her children died of lung infection and she believed it was probably due to the air they breathed from bombs.
What Did Shamima Begum Do?
Shamima Begum ran away from her home and the United Kingdom to Syria to join IS when she was only a teenager.
When she was discovered in 2019, the then-home secretary, Sajid Javid, decided to cancel her British citizenship on security grounds.
Ms. Begum appealed in court against the decision and the Court of Appeal stated that she should be allowed to return to the UK to make her case.
However, the Supreme Court rejected the decision and ruled that the British government was authorized to prevent her return.
According to ITV.com, she asked for forgiveness from the UK government and explained that she was not aware it was a death cult.
She thought it was an Islamic community and was making the right decision as a Muslim. She appeared to Boris Johnson to let her return to the United Kingdom during an interview with Good Morning Britain.