Shamima Begum to find out today if she is allowed back in the UK

Today, a decision will be made on whether Shamima Begum, who departed from her home in east London at the age of 15 to join the Islamic State in Syria, will be allowed to return to the UK. 

In 2015, Begum was seen leaving Bethnal Green with two other girls on their way to Turkey and eventually Syria, where she became a part of the caliphate. Her British citizenship was revoked in 2019 by Sajid Javid, who was then the home secretary. The Home Office reaffirmed its decision last year.

During the lengthy process of gathering evidence and testimony from the government and Begum’s family, Sir James Eadie KC informed the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) that “You can be trafficked in the most ghastly, unacceptable way, exposed in the most unacceptable way, desensitised in the most unacceptable way and yet, unfortunately … still be a security threat.” 

The SIAC will deliver its written judgement on whether she should regain her British citizenship and be permitted to return to the UK.

Who is Shamima Begum? 

Shamima Begum is a woman from east London who left the UK at the age of 15 to join the Islamic State (IS) in Syria in 2015. She was one of three schoolgirls from Bethnal Green who travelled to Syria to become “jihadi brides.” She married a Dutch IS fighter and had three children, all of whom died in Syria. In 2019, her British citizenship was revoked by the Home Office, a decision which was upheld in 2020.

Begum has since been living in a Syrian refugee camp and has been seeking to have her British citizenship restored and to return to the UK. Her case has sparked controversy and raised questions about the citizenship rights of individuals involved in terrorism.

Is it likely Shamima Begum will have her citizenship restored? 

It’s difficult to predict whether Shamima Begum will have her citizenship restored, as the decision ultimately rests with the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). The SIAC is an independent body that handles national security cases and is responsible for determining whether Begum’s British citizenship was wrongly revoked. They will assess the evidence and arguments presented by both Begum’s legal team and the government before making their decision.

However, the UK government has taken a hard line on the issue, with then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid revoking Begum’s citizenship in 2019 on the grounds that she posed a risk to national security. The Home Office has stood by this decision and has argued that it was justified.

Ultimately, the decision will depend on whether the SIAC finds that the government’s decision to revoke her citizenship was lawful and whether Begum has any legal right to return to the UK.