Mothers urged to spot signs of radicalisation

Police in Bristol say they are ‘increasingly concerned’ about the number of young Muslim’s planning to travel and fight in Syria.

Community leaders and women’s groups have been invited to a conference in the city to discuss the threat to young people of online radicalisation, internet safety and the dangers and consequences of travelling to Syria.

‘Brainwashed’
The Assistant Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, Louisa Rolfe said: “We are increasingly concerned about the numbers of young people who have or are intending to travel to Syria to join the conflict.

“We want to ensure that people, particularly women, who are concerned about their loved ones are given enough information about what they can do to prevent this from happening.

One of the speakers at the conference was Susan Arafeh, who comes from Syria. She said young people do not realise that they are being “brainwashed” by people with their own agendas and they are not helping the conflict in her country.

“What they are doing is triggering more and more violence…They are not helping civilian innocent people. The war is going on and on and the violence is going on and on.

“They are not helping at all.”

‘Like a celebrity’
The event comes two months after Easton teenager Yusra Hussien left her school and flew to Turkey. She is believed to have travelled to Syria.

Despite emotional appeals by her family the 15-year-old has not come home. Family friend Faiza Barre said her community is worried because “Yusra is like a celebrity to young girls.”

“Yusra Hussein was a wake-up call for us. We always worried about the boys, but now every mum I speak to with a 14-year-old girl is worried…we have a lot of concerns.”

She told Bristol24/7 that Yusra’s family are broken by her disappearance.

‘Preventing tragedies’
Inspector Janice Pearson has organised a number of these events within the Muslim community in Bristol.

She said the aim of the meeting was to get people talking, going back home or to the mosques and passing on the messages: “I want people to start asking questions about our young people. Are they showing too much interest in Syria? Are they interested in travelling to Syria and what we can do as a family, and as a community, to stop them going to Syria.”

The police say they recognise that while some youngsters want to travel to fight in the conflict, many others want to offer aid and support to the Syrian people.

ACC Lousia Rolfe said: “This is not about criminalising people it is about preventing tragedies. We want to inform those who wish to genuinely help the Syrian cause how they can do so safely and legally.”

New powers
Meanwhile, the home secretary, Theresa May is publishing a new counter terrorism bill later.

It will include plans to stop some British citizens returning to the UK, and others from leaving the country.

The new measures to tackle terrorism come days after she said the UK faces a “greater” terror threat than ever before.