Friday, April 3, 2015

Rochdale Labour councillor's home raided by anti-terror police after his 21-year-old son was arrested on Syrian border with his aunt, cousins and four children

Rochdale Labour councillor's home raided by anti-terror police after his 21-year-old son was arrested on Syrian border with his aunt, cousins and four children

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3024296/Rochdale-Labour-councillor-s-home-raided-anti-terror-police-21-year-old-son-arrested-Syrian-border-aunt-cousins-four-children.html

  • Police search home of Labour councillor after son's arrest on Syrian border
  • Anti-terror officers raided Shakil Ahmed's house last night and again today 
  • Son Waheed, 21, was detained alongside 8 relatives - including 4 children 
  • Mr Ahmed, a councillor since 2012, was recently pictured with Ed Miliband

Anti-terror police have raided the home of a Labour councillor whose 21-year-old son was arrested on the Syrian border with his aunt, cousins and four children.
Shakil Ahmed's Rochdale home was searched by police last night and again this morning after his son Waheed and eight relatives - including four children - were detained in a remote Turkish border town.  

Mr Ahmed, a respected local politician, was not in as police raided the house in connection with his son's arrest, searching computers for any links to militants in Syria.

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Rochdale Labour councillor Shakil Ahmed, pictured with Ed Miliband, whose son has been caught trying to enter rebel-held Syria
Rochdale Labour councillor Shakil Ahmed, pictured with Ed Miliband, whose son has been caught trying to enter rebel-held Syria
Laughing: Waheed Ahmed, the 21-year-old son of a Labour Councillor, is one of nine Britons who have been held by Turkish security officials are attempting to slip illegally into Syria in an apparent bid to join ISIS
Laughing: Waheed Ahmed, the 21-year-old son of a Labour Councillor, is one of nine Britons who have been held by Turkish security officials are attempting to slip illegally into Syria in an apparent bid to join ISIS

Anti-terror police raided four addresses, including that of councillor Shakil Ahmed, last night and this morning
A police van was seen outside councillor Shakil Ahmed's home this morning after officers raided the house
A police van was seen outside councillor Shakil Ahmed's home this morning after officers raided the house
Waheed is now being held alongside his aunt, two cousins and one of his cousin's wives after attempting to cross the border last night  
Waheed is now being held alongside his aunt, two cousins and one of his cousin's wives after attempting to cross the border last night

The politics undergraduate is the son of local politician Shakil Ahmed, who was photographed with Labour leader Ed Miliband just weeks ago. 

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: 'We searched four addresses in Rochdale and Heywood last night in relation to the family detained in Turkey. Searches will continue this morning.

'Officers were looking for electronic devices to see if any occupants had been in touch with anyone in Syria.'
Coun Ahmed, 45, last night spoke of his shock after being told that his son is suspected of being a militant Islamist. 

He told the Daily Mail: ‘All I know is that they were on holiday and then the next thing I am told is that they have been arrested.’

The nine Britons, who include three men, two women and four children aged between one and 11, were seized in Hatay province, in southern Turkey.

It shares a border with part of Syria controlled by rebel factions including those linked to Al Qaeda and ISIS.

'Shocked': Shakil Ahmed said he was 'shocked, worried and extremely upset' that his son was among the group and urged him to come home 'as soon as possible so I can find out what's going on'
'Shocked': Shakil Ahmed said he was 'shocked, worried and extremely upset' that his son was among the group and urged him to come home 'as soon as possible so I can find out what's going on'
'Shocked': Shakil Ahmed said he was 'shocked, worried and extremely upset' that his son was among the group and urged him to come home 'as soon as possible so I can find out what's going on'

In a statement, he said that he believed his son, a student at Manchester University, had been on work placement in Birmingham

All those held are from Rochdale and are the biggest family group caught attempting to enter the unstable territory.

Counter terrorism officers at Greater Manchester Police began an investigation into their movements. 

A senior officer questioned why anyone would take anyone so young ‘and vulnerable’ into a warzone. The extended family group were detained at a checkpoint in Ogulpinar on Tuesday.

The three men and two women, aged between 21 and 47, were taken to a hospital with their children, aged one, three, eight and 11. 

Officials said they will be photographed and fingerprinted before being deported back to the UK.

Photographs showed Waheed Ahmed, dressed in traditional robes and wearing heavy boots, leading the group from a minibus into a police station.
Held: The nine Britons - four of them children – were seized by Turkish security forces last night as they tried to slip across the border to an Islamic State stronghold in Syria
Held: The nine Britons - four of them children – were seized by Turkish security forces last night as they tried to slip across the border to an Islamic State stronghold in Syria
Detained: Footage released earlier shows the family arriving at a police station in Turkey's southern Hatay province, where they are understood to have been kept overnight
Detained: Footage released earlier shows the family arriving at a police station in Turkey's southern Hatay province, where they are understood to have been kept overnight

Several women, all wearing headscarfs which covered their faces, could be seen carrying children. Most of the party were wearing walking boots, perfect for trekking across the rugged region.

Last night, family members were holding a crisis meeting at the family’s £150,000 semi-detached home in Rochdale.

Shakil Ahmed, a bakery delivery driver, is a councillor in Kingsway and served alongside Karen Danczuk, wife of Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, until her resignation in January. 

Speaking as he delivered election campaign leaflets yesterday, he said he recognised his son in online newspaper reports of his arrest.
The detained Britons, which include Waheed's aunt and cousins, leave a hospital in Hatay after undergoing a medical check up and fingerprinting
The detained Britons, which include Waheed's aunt and cousins, leave a hospital in Hatay after undergoing a medical check up and fingerprinting
The three men, two women and four children were detained by soldiers at a checkpoint in Ogulpinar
The three men, two women and four children were detained by soldiers at a checkpoint in Ogulpinar
Smirking: The nine British citizens, including 4 children, were detained  in Turkey's southern Hatay and Gaziantep provinces yesterday as authorities foiled their alleged attempts to enter Syria illegally
Smirking: The nine British citizens, including 4 children, were detained in Turkey's southern Hatay and Gaziantep provinces yesterday as authorities foiled their alleged attempts to enter Syria illegally

Councillor Ahmed said the others arrested included Waheed’s aunt, Zadia Bi, 50, and two of her sons and one of their wives. He said: ‘I don’t know why they have been arrested. We have no information. Until they ring we will not know what has happened.’

He said that he had seen his son’s photograph and when asked about one picture of his son laughing, he replied: ‘Well, they went on holiday so they shouldn’t be crying on holiday should they?’

He added: ‘I don’t believe my son was on his way to join Islamic State. I was shocked, worried and extremely upset to hear that my son has been arrested.

‘It’s a total mystery to me why he’s there, as I was under the impression he was on a work placement in Birmingham.

‘My son is a good Muslim and his loyalties belong to Britain. If I thought for a second that he was in danger of being radicalised, I would have reported him to the authorities.’ The councillor added: ‘He’s studying a degree in politics and sociology at Manchester University and has a good future ahead of him. I just want to speak to my son and get him home as soon as possible.’

Waheed apparently called his devastated father at 2am to break the news he had been arrested.
According to Sky News, Turkish MP Mehmet Ali Ediboglu said last night: 'They are being held at a paramilitary outpost. Probably, they will be deported to their country tomorrow''
According to Sky News, Turkish MP Mehmet Ali Ediboglu said last night: 'They are being held at a paramilitary outpost. Probably, they will be deported to their country tomorrow''

Turkey is a key staging ground for foreign fighters attempting to reach ISIS-controlled areas of Syria and Iraq 
A British woman holding a child is seen arriving at a hospital in Turkey to undergo a medical check up
A British woman holding a child is seen arriving at a hospital in Turkey to undergo a medical check up

Neighbours described the former pupil at Rochdale Sixth Form College, who is now an undergraduate, as ‘very religious’.

One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'I've known Waheed since I was at school. We went to different schools but we always knew each other because he's only a year older than me.

'We'd often go to play football at the local fields - he was always a pretty confident person.

'This doesn't really surprise me if I'm honest - he was always a bit cocky.

'I've never really spoken to the family but they seem really nice - we'd always say hello in passing.

'But there was something about Waheed - I never felt like I could trust him.'

Usman Nawaz went to the same school as Waheed Ahmed in Rochdale. Speaking on the Today programme this morning, he said the 'constant drip-feeding of British Muslims from this country' into Isis needed to be addressed.

He said: 'For some it's an adventure but for some they think that they are doing something noble.

'The ideology which is peddled, this very hardcore understanding of the faith, one which is state-sponsored by Saudi Arabia, that has to be challenged and it's quite difficult to challenge it in a coherent manner when the Saudi ideology has the backing of petrodollars.

'There are mosques in this country which are funded with petrodollars. However, mosques in Rochdale, from what I understand, don't have a problem of radicalisation and extremism.'

Rochdale councillor Dalaat Ali, who is a family friend of Waheed Ahmed, told 5 Live Daily: 'I've known him since he was little. He was born here, he's just as British as anyone else. We've never got an indication as to whether this was happening."
He described the fact that children seem to have been involved as 'unbelievable', adding 'who would endanger their children?'

He added: 'Just a couple of days ago, they were arrested in Turkey at around 2am and Councillor Ahmed got a phone call from his son saying he was arrested in Turkey. He was supposed to be in Birmingham on work experience. He asked, "what are you doing in Turkey?"

'It was early in the morning, he rang me, he came around and we've got a number for a councillor in Ankara but they were closed so we informed the local police as to what has happened. The family is gutted, mum, brother. It's unbelievable. Don't know what to say.' 
Once they had their medical checks, the family were fingerprinted and taken back to a police station
Once they had their medical checks, the family were fingerprinted and taken back to a police station

The Foreign Office said it has been communicating with Turkish officials over the detention of the nine people

Waheed is particularly close to his brother, Moin, 22, who is still at home and was not among the group in Turkey, and the pair wore similar traditional Islamic clothing. Neighbours said he has not been seen ‘for some time’.

Former Conservative councillor, Mohammed Sharif, who lives two doors down from the family, said: ‘I know the family quite well. They are really quite normal so this is very shocking. The boys are both quite religious and have beards but their father is just normal and their mother is also very nice.’

Mr Sharif said that Waheed prayed five times a day at the Gungol Sharif mosque, in Derby Street, Rochdale. He said: ‘He always seemed quite polite. I can’t believe this has happened.’

UN SAYS '25,000 FOREIGN FIGHTERS' HAVE NOW JOINED AL QAEDA AND ISIS MILITANTS IN SYRIA AND IRAQ

The number of fighters leaving home to join al-Qaida and the Islamic State group in Iraq, Syria and other countries has spiked to more than 25,000 from over 100 nations, according to a new U.N. report.

The panel of experts monitoring U.N. sanctions against al-Qaida said in the report obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press that its analysis indicates the number of foreign terrorist fighters worldwide increased by 71 percent between mid-2014 and March 2015.

It said the scale of the problem has increased over the past three years and the flow of foreign fighters 'is higher than it has ever been historically.'

The overall number of foreign terrorist fighters has 'risen sharply from a few thousand ... a decade ago to more than 25,000 today,' the panel said in the report to the U.N. Security Council.

The report said just two countries have accounted for over 20,000 foreign fighters: Syria and Iraq. They went to fight primarily for the Islamic State group but also the Al-Nusra Front.

Looking ahead, the panel said the thousands of foreign fighters who traveled to Syria and Iraq are living and working in 'a veritable `international finishing school' for extremists,' as was the case in Afghanistan in the 1990s.

Mr Sharif added: ‘This is a very shocking development in our community. It seems that the internet has a big part to play in what is happening to these children.

‘We need to warn parents about the dangers of this radicalisation.’ Waheed was last spotted in the area three weeks ago.

His grey Toyota Auris remained outside his house.

Another neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: ‘He was very religious and always walked around in traditional dress. He didn’t really mix with anyone and was very quiet.’

His older brother Moin follows many Islamic extremist preachers on his Facebook page, including Dr Bilal Philips, who has condoned suicide bombers in the past and is banned from the UK for holding extremist views.

Police now face the task of investigating exactly what the fugitives’ motives were and whether they have committed terrorist offences.

Turkey is a key staging ground for foreign fighters and others hoping to reach Islamic State-held areas of Syria and Iraq.

Earlier this week Yahya Rashid, 19, was charged with preparing acts of terrorism after flying into Luton Airport from Istanbul.

He is suspected of acting as an Islamic State smuggler, paying for four men and a woman to join the terrorist group.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett, of Greater Manchester Police, said: ‘Officers have commenced an investigation to establish their reason for travel and apparent attempted entry into Syria. At this time officers have uncovered no evidence whatsoever of any imminent threat to the communities of Rochdale or indeed the UK.

‘What is obviously concerning is why a family were seemingly attempting to take very young and vulnerable children into a warzone, such a volatile and dangerous environment is no place for them whatsoever,’ he added.

It is understood that social workers in Rochdale are already preparing to interview parents on their return.

Imam Irfan Chishti, of the Rochdale Council of Mosques, said: ‘We are shocked to hear this has happened in our town.

‘Rochdale has had its fair share of negative publicity of late, given the grooming issue, and this is the last thing we need.' 

Fleeing to Syria: Amira Abase, Kadiza Sultana and Shamina Begum at Gatwick in February
Fleeing to Syria: Amira Abase, Kadiza Sultana and Shamina Begum at Gatwick in February
Mohammed Shafiq, of the Ramadhan Foundation, said: ‘The news that nine people from Rochdale including children have been arrested in Turkey trying to get into Syria is deeply worrying.

‘The idea you can take young children into a warzone is despicable and we condemn those adults who have done this.’

The Ahmed family are originally from Kashmir but settled in Rochdale in the 1980s and have lived in their current home since 2006.

Coun Ahmed posted a picture of himself with Labour leader Ed Miliband on his Facebook page just before Christmas.

A Labour spokesman said this morning: 'This is a family matter. The good news is that the authorities stopped them crossing into Syria.

'The priority now is that the police and authorities investigate fully. We're clear that anyone involved with terrorist groups should feel full force of law.'

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk tweeted last night: ‘I’ve been in touch with the father of one of young men who was there he’s shocked confused as to why his son was trying to enter Syria.

‘At this stage I don’t want to say too much until I receive more information from the police on whether a criminal offence has been committed.

‘Rochdale stands united against any terrorist activity and we are constantly vigilant about any signs of radicalisation.’  

2,000 FIGHTERS FROM THE UK? SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS ADMIT THEY GROSSLY 'UNDER-ESTIMATED' THE NUMBER OF BRITONS THAT JOINED ISIS

The number of Britons who have fled the UK to join ISIS is as many as 2,000, security chiefs fear.

Senior police officers had previously said there were 600 would-be jihadis but now privately admit that is a ‘gross under-estimate’. The previous figure only included those documented to have travelled to Syria despite evidence that many are ‘flying under the radar’.

The Daily Mail has learned that, in the last two months alone, Turkish officials have been alerted to 30 people reported missing by their families and mosque leaders. 

They are struggling to tackle a constant flow of foreign fighters who use the country as a key staging post for reaching Syria and northern Iraq.

Among militant British Islamists known to have travelled to strongholds controlled by Islamic State are:
  • Mohammed Emwazi – The notorious terrorist, known as Jihadi John, is a British national. The mass killer grew up in London and studied computer programming at the University of Westminster.
  • Aqsa Mahmood – The privately educated Glaswegian is one of the original ‘Jihadi Brides’ and is believed to be responsible for luring others to Syria.
  • Bethnal Green teenagers – Four schoolgirls aged 15 and 16 fled their East London homes to join Islamic State. The first left the country last December and was followed by three others, triggering a national scandal, in February.
  • Mother of two – Former bank clerk Rehana Begum Islam left her husband of 14 years, vanishing from her home in Enfield, North London, with her eight-year-old son and daughter, three.
  • Portsmouth gang – Five men went to Syria after pretending to go on holiday to Turkey. Four have since been killed.

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