‘I think it’s an opportunity both in intelligence terms and also in terms of social rehabilitation.’
LBC host Maajid Nawaz has said that Shamima Begum should be allowed to return to the UK had help the country’s counter-terrorism measures.
Begum was interviewed on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday (September 13), and said that she wanted to help the government in its fight against terrorism in the UK, telling Boris Johnson: “You clearly don’t know what you’re doing.”
Begum had her British citizenship revoked in 2019 and is not allowed to return to the country after she fled to Syria to join ISIS at the age of 15.
But Nawaz argued that she would play an important part in Britain’s fight against terror and her offer should be accepted.
Speaking on LBC radio, he said: “So you have there somebody offering to help this country, that clearly does need help in its counter-terrorism measures. I’ll tell you this country needs help, by the way.
“She’s offering to help and I think it’s both an opportunity both in intelligence terms – a huge opportunity in intelligence terms by the way – and also in terms of social rehabilitation, and to try to lead by example for other young people.
“One of the things she said in that interview was to address the social causes that give rise to how somebody could get groomed or radicalised, and I think those are very important to understand.”
The radio host said that “the UK should try and help facilitate that offer that she has made to this country to help this country in challenging extremism.”
Maajid Nawaz argues the UK should 'lead by example' and take up Shamima Begum on her offer to 'help in the fight against terrorism'.@MaajidNawaz pic.twitter.com/pVHTkSR2do
— LBC (@LBC) September 15, 2021
After Begum’s interview on Wednesday morning, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid appeared on Good Morning Britain. He was the home secretary who revoked her citizenship, and he told the show that he still believes it was “absolutely the right decision,” and was both “morally and legally correct.”
Related links:
- Richard Madeley had an incredible Partridge moment in Shamima Begum interview
- Shamima Begum says PM ‘doesn’t know what he’s doing’ fighting UK extremism
- Shamima Begum’s ex-lawyer facing investigation for Taliban tweet
