The Teen Who Left The UK For ISIS When She Was 15- Shamima Begum

ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is a jihadist group that follows a "fundamentalist, Salafi doctrine of Sunni Islam," according to Wikipedia. One teen from the United Kingdom decided to join it.

Shamima Begum was 15 when she left the UK to join ISIS.

An article by the Washington Post states that Begum left to become an "ISIS Bride." These women are not only civilian spouses of the jihadist fighters, they're also actual members of the militant organization. Begum is one such example. She joined ISIS and then married a Dutch jihadist fighter. She had two children with him, both who passed away. The third child was born in a Syrian refugee camp and was only a few months old when he/she passed away from a lung infection. The problem arose when Begum wanted to return to the UK for herself and her other son.

Th British government, however, denied.

The Times' war correspondent Anthony Lloyd found her at the UN al-Hawl Refugee Camp and interviewed a 9-month pregnant Begum. Though she wanted to return to the UK to raise her child, she didn't regret joining ISIS. Security Minister Ben Wallace said he wouldn't want her return to put others' lives at risk nor did he want to go to a failed state and rescue former terrorists. Begum continued to justify ISIS ideology and voiced support for the Manchester Arena Bombing. UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid stated that she would be stripped of her UK citizenship and that the government claims she is still eligible for Bangladeshi citizenship. Bangladesh, however, stated that she is not and therefore cannot enter the country. Since British law dictates that no citizen be made stateless, Begum can appeal her citizenship. Her own father, however, was against her return as she doesn't want to admit responsibility for her actions. Begum and her spouse have plans to return to the Netherlands, but the Dutch government has no incentive to help either of them.

Some people claim that the UK government should've helped her out as she had a child. Others, like Wallace, stress the fact that she made the decision to leave on her own account and therefore must deal with the consequences.