Dewsbury teen is ISIS suicide bomber

Both myself and the community in Dewsbury are deeply shocked and devastated by the news of Talha Asmal. I met his family yesterday evening and they are understandably traumatised by what has happened.

What we have to do now is come together and do all we can to ensure no more impressionable young people are brainwashed by those behind Isis. These evil people use the internet and social media to target impressionable young people, painting a very different picture to the reality of what is really happening in Isis-controlled areas.

We need to ensure that we have a robust plan to work with the community; we need work with the schools, the mosques, churches, the community groups and parents to try and ensure that young people are aware of the reality of what is actually happening in Syria and Iraq.

There is so much good about Dewsbury, yet once again our town has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. I want our community to now demonstrate all that is positive about Dewsbury by remaining united, working together to come up with strategies to ensure that no other boys or girls follow this path.”

"This is a very disturbing case and our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who died or were injured in this appalling terrorist attack.

"This case shows how important it is for the Government to have a proper counter-terrorism strategy, which not only includes measures to track, monitor and prosecute terror suspects, but also includes a much stronger plan for community-led action to prevent young people being drawn towards the lies and hate filled ideology of Isil.

"We have known for a long time that Isil was using social media to recruit young people to join their bloody war.

"So why don't we have a proper plan in place for communities to be able to proactively counter the lies they spread and undermine their attempts to glorify the civil war they are fuelling?

"Despite a new counter terrorism strategy, the Government are well behind on tackling this. "Their proposals are confused and they continue to refuse to properly refuse community-led Prevent programmes which could make a massive difference in stopping young people being drawn in by terrorist groups."

"The local community grieves with them today,

"Ebrahim (the father) and the family's world has been shattered in the cruellest of ways and one which no family should ever have to experience.

"Talha was a truly sweet-natured, helpful, respectful and friendly kid and it is incredibly difficult to reconcile this Talha with the suicide-bomber at an raqi oil installation.

"My thoughts and prayers are obviously also with those killed at the oil installation and their families.

"It is disturbing to see how relaxed he looks in the Isis photographs allegedly taken just prior to his suicide mission.

"He looks at peace. It's like he's ready to go and meet his maker. This is a clear indication of just how successful the evil Isis groomers have been in poisoning and brainwashing Talha and kids like him..

"We must defeat Isis in mosques and communities across the country. This is a generational struggle and everyone must be willing to rise to the challenge.

"Importantly, it's a struggle which can only succeed if it is one which is led by Muslims themselves."

“As part of the Prevent initiative West Yorkshire Police is committed to working with communities and local authorities, to highlight the dangers associated with radicalisation and travel to regions such as Syria and Iraq.

" We are all working together to help identify vulnerable members of our society and intervene and engage them before it is too late.”

“If anyone has concerns that a friend or relative may be vulnerable to radicalisation, expressing extreme views or contemplating travelling to Syria or Iraq, it is vital that we work together to try and prevent that person from travelling.

"Those who travel to Syria and parts of Iraq are likely to witness extreme violence and could become victims of violence themselves. In addition some may be drawn into taking part and committing violent acts themselves. Their families left at home will be left devastated.

"No parent would want to see their child put in danger, exploited or put in a situation where they face death.

“We are extremely keen to continue in developing the work we do with partners in order to help families understand the nature of the threat from extremist material on the internet and other publications, whilst also heightening their awareness of the signs that indicate if someone is being exploited.

“I would encourage anyone with concerns around individuals being radicalised to have the confidence in coming forward and sharing their concerns with the local police, or local authority safeguarding units either by contacting 101 or attending their local Neighbourhood Policing Teams, they can intervene and provide you and your family with the appropriate support and advice. “

"Late yesterday evening some news outlets via their online platforms carried a story that a young Britain had been killed whilst with ISIS in Iraq.

"Although the information within these reports has not been confirmed and the relevant UK authorities are working hard to verify the facts, we can confirm that the photographs shown of a youth purportedly named Abu Yusuf Al Britany appear to show our 17 year old son Talha.

"Talha comes from a close knit, hardworking, peace loving and law abiding British Muslim family. The entire family unreservedly condemns and abhors all acts of violence wherever perpetrated.

"Talha himself was a loving, kind, caring and affable teenager. He never harboured any ill will against anybody nor did he ever exhibit any violent, extreme or radical views of any kind.

1. Talha’s tender years and naivety were it seems however exploited by persons unknown who hiding behind the anonymity of the world wide web targeted and befriended Talha and engaged in a process of deliberate and calculated grooming of him.

" As a result of this and completely unbeknown to us, his family and entirely against our wishes he ended up travelling it seems to Iraq.

"Whilst there it appears that Talha fell under the spell of individuals who continued to prey on his innocence and vulnerability to the point where if the press reports are accurate he was ordered to his death by so called ISIS handlers and leaders too cowardly to do their own ‘dirty’ work.

"We are all naturally utterly devastated and heartbroken by the unspeakable tragedy that now appears to have befallen us.

"We need time and understanding to come to terms with our unimaginable and painful loss.

"As a family we would like to take this opportunity to unequivocally state that ‘ISIS’ are not Islam. "They do not represent in any way, shape or form Islam and Muslims and we are no longer prepared to allow a barbaric group like ‘ISIS’ to hijack our faith. ‘ISIS’ Not and Never in our name.

"As a family we would urge anyone who has any concerns about their own family members being exploited in a similar way to seek the help and advice of the Police as soon as ever possible.

"We are all understandably grief stricken and do not propose to make any further press statements at this stage. We remain confident that all media and press outlets will wish to respect our need for privacy at this hugely difficult time."