MPs urged to let brothers return to Somalia after London stabbings
Two brothers from Somalia who were stabbed in separate attacks in London should be given permission to return to Mogadishu because 'it is safer', MPs have been told.
Labour MP Chuka Umunna raised the case during an adjournment debate in the Commons addressing the issue of gangs and serious youth violence in London.
He outlined the story of a constituent who he said "massively regrets" moving his sons to London, and believes it would be less dangerous for them to live with their mother in Somalia's capital city.
Mr Umunna said his constituent's youngest son was stabbed on the Tulse Hill estate while a few weeks ago his other son was attacked and critically injured on another estate in Streatham.
Mr Umunna said one of the brothers is living in foster care for "his own safety" while the other cannot leave hospital as it is judged "too unsafe" for him to live at home.
The MP for Streatham, in south London, insisted the case is a "damning indictment" of the violence on the capital's streets.
Mr Umunna told the Commons he has written to ministers asking them to issue the appropriate papers to ensure the two brothers can travel back to Somalia to be with their mother - in line with the family's wishes.
He added: "What this case illustrates is that for all the promises that have been made - I'm not making party political points today - for all the attempts that have been made by national and local governments of different political persuasions to deal with this problem, we still have a major problem of youth violence and gang culture impacting on a small minority of our youngsters in inner city areas like mine."
Al Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant organisation, has been carrying out several bloody attacks in Mogadishu including a recent twin-car bombing at a beach cafe which killed 17 people.