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Man held for allegedly helping British schoolgirls cross into Syria

A man has been detained for allegedly helping three British schoolgirls cross into Syria, Turkey's foreign minister has said.

The man worked for the intelligence services of a country in the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State (IS), Mevlut Cavusoglu is quoted by Turkish media saying.

Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and 15-year-old Amira Abase, all students at Bethnal Green academy in east London, fled the UK last month to reportedly join IS.

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Met Police chief apologises to Syria runaway girls' families

London's chief of police has apologised to the families of three girls who ran away to Syria that a letter warning them of the risk of radicalisation did not reach them as intended.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe apologised to the girls' families

Speaking to the Home Affairs Select Committee, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said:

I'm sorry that [the families] are in this situation, and I'm also sorry that the letter we intended to get to them didn't get through. Clearly, that failed. It was intended for them, and it failed, and for that of course we are sorry.

– Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe

He said the girls were only spoken to as part of an investigation into another girl who went to Syria, and said neither the trio's family, the police, nor the school realised they planned to join her.

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Man held for allegedly helping British schoolgirls cross into Syria

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