Former Cop Tells Ian Payne Authorities Knew Shamima Begum Was Talking To ISIS Online

4 May 2019, 16:12

Former Met Police Chief Superintendent Dal Babu told Ian Payne that authorities knew Shamima Begum was at risk of being groomed.

Bangladesh's Foreign Minister has said Shamima Begum would face the death penalty for involvement in terrorism if she went to the country.

Abdul Momen said Bangladesh had "nothing to do" with Ms Begum, and warned she could be "hanged".

The former Met officer said that he was brought in when the relatives of the ISIS bride became aware that authorities knew Shamima was at risk of being groomed by ISIS, but hadn't told them.

"Police and social workers were aware the girls were in conversation with ISIS fighters who were trying to groom them on the internet," the former officer said.

Mr Babu said he was a police officer for 30 years and he "never ever got used to touching a dead body."

So he found it "bizarre to hear somebody talking about severed heads in a bin and not being phased."