International sanctions against Glasgow-born jihadi Aqsa Mahmood will have “zero impact” on her activities, according to her family.
In statement released by their solicitor Aamer Anwar, they described the move as “useless grandstanding by the Prime Minister”.
Former private schoolgirl Mahmood ran away to Syria in November 2013 to join terrorist group Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIL.
The 21-year-old who is believed to be at the forefront of an IS recruitment drive has had her name placed on a United Nations list of British jihadis, along with Omar Hussain from High Wycombe, Nasser Muthana from Cardiff and Sally Jones from Chatham, in Kent.
Announcing the sanctions, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “As well as the domestic measures we have introduced, such as the power to seize passports, these sanctions are a powerful tool - freezing an individual’s assets and imposing a global travel ban on them.”
However the solicitor for Aqsa Mahmood’s family, Aamer Anwar, said the move won’t deter her.
He said: “Aqsa’s family described today’s sanctions as little more than useless grandstanding by the Prime Minister which will have zero impact on the activities of Aqsa Mahmood, but more importantly do very little to deter young people from being recruited to ISIS.
“The PM will know that Aqsa had no global assets to freeze and if he thinks that young people thinking of joining ISIS will be worried about their pocket money being frozen in high street banks then he is sadly deluded.”
Mr Anwar also underlined Mahmood’s family’s fury at her decision to flee to Syria.
He said: “Aqsa’s family remain full of rage at her activities which they describe as a twisted and distorted perversion of Islam, but they had always hoped that one day she would see ISIS for the barbaric death cult it is and return home.
“They appreciated that if Aqsa did, then she must face the full force of the law, but to impose a travel ban simply means that we are washing our hands of British citizens who want to break with ISIS.
“They believe an imposition of a travel ban will have absolutely no deterrent effect on radicalised young ISIS recruits, but the real danger is a future where some families will fail to inform the authorities when their children leave for ISIS, in case that door is closed for their return.”
Mr Anwar added: “Whilst Aqsa has destroyed any chance of happiness for her own family, they are saddened that the UK Government has failed to take any genuine steps to win the hearts and minds of other young people on the cusp of radicalisation.”
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