Security services accused of 'failing Syria-bound girls'

The family of a British woman suspected of trying to recruit three London schoolgirls to join Islamic State (IS) in Syria have accused the security services of "failing" to stop them leaving.

Aqsa Mahmood, 20, who travelled to Syria to marry an IS fighter in 2013, was reportedly in contact with one of the three girls who are said to have fled to Syria last week.

Ms Mahmood's family said security services had "serious questions to answer" over their daughter's alleged contact with one of Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and 15-year-old Amira Abase.

In a statement released through their lawyer Aamer Anwar, Ms Mahmood's family said they were "full of horror and anger" that she may have had a role to play in "the recruitment of these young girls to Isis".

"However, the security services have serious questions to answer," the family said.

"Aqsa's social media has been monitored since she disappeared over a year ago, yet despite alleged contact between the girls and Aqsa, they failed to stop them from leaving the UK to Turkey, a staging post for Syria."