How the First London Schoolgirl Fled to Join I.S.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in today’s edition of the Daily Mail

This is the schoolgirl who led her three best friends to Syria after she was radicalised under the nose of her father.

Sharmeena Begum, who fled Britain to join Islamic State in December, can be named today as the first of four GCSE pupils at the same school to become jihadi brides.

The 15-year-old is believed to be in the IS stronghold of Raqqa with Kadiza Sultana, 16, Shamima Begum, 15, and Amira Abase, 15.

Last night her father said he had no idea that his daughter, who loved watching EastEnders and wanted to be a doctor, was being groomed to join the terror group.

Mohammad Uddin believes that Sharmeena was targeted through her phone by shadowy IS recruiters who exploited her vulnerability after the death of her mother.

‘Every parent should check what their children are doing on their phones at every moment,’ said the 38-year-old.

He also said his daughter’s school had ignored his warning to ‘keep an eye’ on her three best friends after she vanished in December. He questioned the trio about her disappearance but they denied all knowledge.

The girls said only that Sharmeena had been in covert phone contact with an unknown woman. ‘I feel angry about the people who have encouraged her,’ he told the Mail in an exclusive interview.

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