British women 'joining husbands to fight in Syria'

A terrorism expert has said the Britons going to Syria to fight the Assad regime are generally doing so for "sincere reasons" but may end up making the situation worse for rebel forces.

Dr Shiraz Maher of King's College London said:

Ten British women may have travelled to Syria to join the fight against the Assad regime's forces, according to experts.

The Daily Mirror reports that the women could have joined up with an extremely violent Islamist group called 'Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which is so brutal it has reportedly even been disowned by al-Qaeda.

Terrorism expert Shiraz Maher, from King's College London, told the paper there were "around 10 British women out there", most of whom have accompanied their husbands.

Read: Muslim women urged to warn men against Syria travel

Najma Hafeez, from Birmingham, has told ITV News she believes police attempts to enlist Muslim mothers to stop their sons going to war is "very patronising".

She added that Muslim mothers are the same as any other mothers in not wanting their child to go to a war zone:

In an unprecedented campaign, police are attempting to enlist Muslim mothers to stop their sons going to war.

With hundreds of young British men fighting in Syria, security chiefs believe they could return radicalised and dangerous. They want women to persuade and even inform on their relatives.

ITV News' UK Editor Lucy Manning reports:

The father of an 18-year-old Briton killed in Syria has said he would not have informed the police of his son's intention to travel to the country, had he known.

His comments come as a national campaign is launched calling on Muslim women to urge their relatives not to fight in the conflict.

Speaking of his son, Abdullah, Abubaker Deghayes told ITV News: "My son was not going to commit a crime, he was going to help others."

Read more: Aunt of teen killed in Syria 'outraged' by campaign

The aunt of a British teenager killed in Syria has told ITV News she is "outraged" by a national campaign calling on Muslim women to urge their relatives not to fight in the conflict.

Amani Deghayes said the campaign is asking people to spy on relatives and could potentially lead to vulnerable people - such as mothers - being manipulated by police.

Abdullah Deghayes, 18, from Brighton, died in Kassab, Latakia Province, earlier this month after leaving the UK in January. Two of his brothers remain in Syria.

Ms Deghayes added that her family has been trying everything they can to bring the two brothers home and were unaware they had left for Syria until they had gone.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the Government was "very concerned" about the terror threat posed by the conflict in Syria.

His comments come as a national campaign to urge British Muslim women to warn their husbands and sons against travelling to Syria has been launched.

Mr Cameron said: "We are very concerned as a Government and as a country about the threat of terrorism coming out of Syria. What we are doing is trying to prevent people from travelling there.

"And people can help: if you know someone who is in danger of being radicalised, with radical views, and is thinking of travelling to Syria, then the best thing to do is to talk to the police, talk to the authorities so that we can help you to stop that from happening."

Sajda Mughal of the JAN Trust organisation said the group hears the concerns mothers have "daily" and understands the need to "protect your child".

Speaking after a campaign was launched to urge British Muslim women to their relatives against travelling to Syria, Ms Mughal said: "It is important for these mothers to protect and safeguard their children in order for them not to place their child's life at risk".

Counter-terrorism police chiefs have a launched an appeal asking Muslim women to urge their relatives not to fight in the Syrian conflict.

Helen Ball, the senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, told a news conference she has met families "torn apart" by the deaths of British men who had died after travelling to the country.

"Meeting today with a range of women from communities, charities and other organisations has been tremendously valuable to start to think really carefully about how women in particular can challenge the lure and motivations of people travelling [to Syria]", she added.

Read: Muslim women urged to warn partners against Syria travel