Leader: Proceed with caution in the case of Shamima Begum

The case of Shamima Begum is a complex one.

Shamima Begum is caught on CCTV at Gatwick Airport in 2015 as she headed for a flight to Turkey

It is four years since she and two school friends travelled from Bethnal Green to join a medieval death cult in the Middle East.

The 19-year-old, now pregnant, wants to return to the UK seemingly only because the war is over. She added that she had no regrets about her decision and the sight of a severed head in a bin “didn’t faze her at all”.

At this stage we do not know what she has done. Crimes may have been committed.

We should not fall into the trap of assuming that because she is young, and a woman, that she was somehow brainwashed; that would be sexist and patronising. An open mind is required.

She cannot be allowed to return to the UK until a full investigation is undertaken. This may result in her being charged, sent for trial and imprisoned for a long period.

Her unborn child, conceived in Syria of British and Dutch parents, must be considered separately. It cannot be a factor if Shamima Begum has committed serious crimes.