Shamima Begum: Boxer Amir Khan claims Isis bride is ‘arrogant’ and should not be allowed to return to UK

Khan claimed that the teenager came across as remorseless and was giving British Muslims a ‘bad name’

Tom Kershaw
Wednesday 20 February 2019 16:51 GMT
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Shamima Begum reads Home Office letter revoking her British citizenship

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Boxer Amir Khan has branded Shamima Begum as “arrogant” and says the idea of the Isis bride returning to the UK is “ridiculous”.

Khan claims Ms Begum came across as remorseless and was giving Muslims a “bad name” after fleeing the UK aged 15 to join Isis in Syria.

Speaking on social media, Khan said: “They’re going to let this Isis bride back in the UK, I think that’s ridiculous. You left to support terrorism, now live with it.

“After watching her video, she doesn’t seem one bit upset and comes across so arrogant. UK isn’t your home so stop giving us all a bad name please.”

Khan’s comments came in the wake of Sajid Javid’s decision to revoke Ms Begum of her British citizenship on Tuesday.

Ms Begum had made pleas to return home to raise her son, having already lost two children, however, in interviews she has insisted she has “no regrets” about joining Isis and called the Manchester terror attack “justified”.

The 19-year-old mother says she is “heartbroken” after being shown the copy of the letter from the Home Office informing her that she is no longer a citizen.

In an interview with ITV, Begum said: “I’m just a bit shocked…It’s a bit unjust on me and my son.

Khan claimed the idea of Ms Begum returning to the UK was ‘ridiculous’
Khan claimed the idea of Ms Begum returning to the UK was ‘ridiculous’ (BBC)

“It’s kind of heart-breaking to read. My family made it sound a lot easier for me to come back to the UK when I was speaking to them in Baghouz. It’s kind of hard to swallow.”

The Home Office claims Begum is not being left stateless by Britain, as her mother was born in Bangladesh and so she is therefore entitled to dual citizenship.

However, Ms Begum’s lawyer told The Independent that she is a British national and “had never had a Bangladeshi passport”.

Ms Begum told ITV that she is considering exploring potential citizenship in Holland through her Dutch husband.

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