Shamima Begum’s release would risk further radicalisation of ISIS supporters, a legal expert warns The Mirror.
Ten years after Begum left the UK for Syria to join the Islamic State (ISIS), she faces the possibility of being set free. In 2015, Begum, 15, famously fled London with two friends to become the wife of Dutch-born extremist Yago Riedijk, 27. Four years later, she was stripped of her British citizenship and has been battling ever since to try and get the decision overturned.
Now, 24-year-old Begum is living in a Syrian detention camp – but in a recent turn of events, she could be “running free within days”, according to a Kurdish-Syrian former guard. After the fall of President Assad to Turkish-backed forces last month, the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Force (SDF), which runs the camps, has come under attack by Turkish airstrikes.
Shamima Begum’s life now in ‘filthy’ prison camp and why she could ‘run free’ in days
Begum left the UK with her two friends, Kadiza Sultana, then 16, and Amira Abase, then 15
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Speaking to the Daily Express, a former guard said: “If HTS [Hayat Tahrir al-Sham] and the Turks get close to the prison camps, the SDF could release all the prisoners. If they feel they can’t defend the camps because they need to defend their homes and loved ones, they will open the gates of hell.” Among the thousands of ISIS detainees imprisoned there is Begum, the runaway ISIS bride.
But what would happen to Begum and the rest of the world if the prisoners were released? Legal expert James Pipe, from freegrantsforfelons.org, says reports of an attack on the detention camps raise serious questions about the handling of detainees and put pressure on authorities to come to a general agreement about their futures – a decision that is a “ticking time bomb”.
Mr Pipe told The Mirror: “Shamima Begum’s case exemplifies the tension between legal obligations and security concerns. While international law mandates humane treatment and prohibits indefinite detention without trial, governments are reluctant to repatriate individuals deemed security threats. The lack of consensus on how to handle detainees from Syrian camps is a ticking time bomb that demands urgent international attention.”
The trio were straight-A students at Bethnal Green Academy when their lives took a drastically different course
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In 2019, the government was alerted to the fact that Begum was still alive after a British journalist found her in a refugee camp after IS lost the ground war in Syria. She told the BBC she was drawn to the terror group’s promise of a ‘good life’ and admitted she was attracted to the ‘fighting videos’ as well as the prospect of a family.
In 2021, Begum agreed to be photographed in a detention camp in Syria and was pictured with a drastically different look—her head uncovered, sunglasses on, and Western clothes. She denied her new appearance was a publicity stunt and said she felt “very constricted” in a hijab. In February 2023, she lost her bid to challenge her revoked citizenship.
Last year, judges then ruled that Begum would not be allowed to return to the UK on national security grounds and that she would not be allowed to challenge the removal of her British citizenship at the Supreme Court. But her solicitor, Daniel Furner, said they would not stop fighting.
This week, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has stressed that Begum will not be allowed to return to British soil and the government is “really clear about that”. He said: “We will act in our security interests.” Mr Lammy’s remarks come after Donald Trump’s incoming counter-terrorism chief said British members of ISIS currently in Syrian prison camps should be repatriated.
Begum was photographed at Roj Camp with other female detainees and had a completely different look
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If Begum were to be released, her future would be “shrouded in legal and political uncertainty”, Mr Pipe said. He explained: “The UK government revoked her citizenship in 2019, citing national security concerns, leaving her stateless. Without citizenship, she cannot lawfully return to the UK unless the courts overturn the decision—a process that has been fraught with legal battles.
“Other countries, particularly those she may have passed through on her way to Syria, may also resist granting her entry due to her association with ISIS.” He said that Begum’s path forward may involve legal disputes or seeking asylum in a third country, though “which country would accept her is uncertain”.
In the years since Begum was found, she has publicly expressed her regret for joining ISIS and has attempted to portray herself as a victim of grooming and manipulation. “If released, she could potentially pursue rehabilitation and reintegration into society,” Mr Pipe said. “However, this would require the willingness of a host nation to take her in and provide the necessary support.”
Far more terrifying is the possibility of her release fuelling extremist groups to act with terror. Mr Pipe explained: “Alternatively, her release could become a propaganda tool for extremist groups, portraying her as a symbol of resilience or injustice. This risks further radicalisation, either by herself or others inspired by her story.”
A legal expert has warned her release could become a propaganda tool for extremists and lead to an uptick in threats
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The legal expert warned: “The potential for Begum to engage in or support extremist activities, either directly or indirectly, cannot be ignored, even if she publicly denounces her past actions.” But it’s not just Begum that poses a huge threat, the release of thousands of prisoners would risk boosting existing terrorist groups and creating new ones – far closer to home than we would like.
He said: “The situation in Syrian camps like al-Hol and Roj is volatile. Reports suggest that these facilities house not just former ISIS members but also their families, creating an environment where extremist ideologies persist. An attack on the camp could lead to mass escapes, with detainees dispersing across the region and beyond.
“Former detainees could regroup, form new cells, or bolster existing ones, reigniting insurgencies in Syria or neighbouring countries. Europe, including the UK, could face an uptick in threats from radicalised returnees or sympathisers emboldened by the collapse of the camps.”
And if Begum, or others, managed to slip into Europe without detection, “it would strain already stretched intelligence and counterterrorism resources”, Mr Pipe explained. He said: “The challenge lies in distinguishing between those seeking a second chance at life and those who remain committed to extremist ideologies.”