British couple Turkey, A British couple travelling with their four children have been arrested in Turkey a day after police expressed fears they were heading for Syria.
The Associated Press reported an unnamed Turkish official saying that Asif Malik, 31, and his partner Sara Kiran, 29, were arrested in Ankara on Monday and taken into custody with their four children, all aged under eight.
In a statement on Monday, Thames Valley police said: “ A family who were missing from their home in Slough are believed to have been located in Turkey.
“Asif Malik and Sara Kiran and their children were reported missing to Thames Valley Police on 16 April. Thames Valley Police understand that they have been detained by the Turkish authorities today (20/4) but is awaiting confirmation. We are working with the Turkish authorities to safeguard the family.”
Thames Valley police launched an appeal at the weekend to trace the family, who left their home in Slough, Berkshire, 12 days ago with their children, without informing their family and friends or mentioning any holiday or travel plans.
Officers established that the couple, their daughter Zoha, aged seven, and sons, Essa, four, Zakariya, two and Yhaha, one, boarded a ferry from Dover to Calais on 8 April and were believed to be in Budapest on or around 12 April.
Kiran’s family issued a plea through police earlier on Monday. It said: “We would like to urge you, Sara and Asif, to make contact with us and let us know that you and the children are safe.
“Sara, we want to let you know that we love you; we miss you, Asif and the grandchildren. You are not in trouble, we are not angry or upset, and we just want you to return home safely.
“We appreciate the media can help get this message to Sara by sharing it to help the investigation. We, however, as a family, would ask that the media respect our privacy in this difficult period.”
AP said the Turkish official spoke on condition of anonymity because of Turkish rules requiring prior authorisation for comment.
In their appeal to the family on Sunday, Thames Valley police said: “Given the online rhetoric from the Islamic State encouraging people to travel to Syria, the direction of travel and concerns voiced by Asif’s family, Thames Valley police is concerned the family may be seeking to travel to Syria.”
Acting deputy chief constable John Campbell urged the family to get in touch to reassure relatives they were safe and well. He told a press conference: “I’m not suggesting for one moment that they are intending to join Islamic State. I don’t think there’s anything to suggest that.
“We know that having gone into Europe, their general direction of travel is towards Turkey, thereby we make the assumption towards Syria. At the same time, we know that the [wider] family have voiced some concerns about the family’s intentions. There’s been a suggestion that Mr Asif in the past has said that he would like to live in a Muslim state.”
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are urgently looking into reports that six British nationals have been arrested in Turkey. We stand ready to provide consular assistance.”
Police said Malik had previously expressed a wish to live in a Muslim country. On Sunday, it was claimed that he had been a member of the banned radical group al-Muhajiroun. The group’s former leader, Anjem Choudary, described Malik as a “champion for sharia [Islamic law]” who regularly attended the group’s events and demonstrations before it was proscribed in 2010.
Choudary said he had no information on the family’s plans, but said Malik remained “very influential in the community” after al-Muhajiroun was proscribed. “Asif is a very good friend of mine. I haven’t seen him for a while, but from what I gather in the reports he and his family have left the country,” he said.
“I last saw him a couple of months ago. He used to attend my lectures in Slough and west London. He attended many lectures over the years and is a very good friend.
“He is a very studious man, a very good Muslim character. He was always a champion for sharia and is very influential in the community.”
The pair had been friends for about 10 years, he added.
In a statement on Monday, Thames Valley police said: “ A family who were missing from their home in Slough are believed to have been located in Turkey.
“Asif Malik and Sara Kiran and their children were reported missing to Thames Valley Police on 16 April. Thames Valley Police understand that they have been detained by the Turkish authorities today (20/4) but is awaiting confirmation. We are working with the Turkish authorities to safeguard the family.”
Thames Valley police launched an appeal at the weekend to trace the family, who left their home in Slough, Berkshire, 12 days ago with their children, without informing their family and friends or mentioning any holiday or travel plans.
Officers established that the couple, their daughter Zoha, aged seven, and sons, Essa, four, Zakariya, two and Yhaha, one, boarded a ferry from Dover to Calais on 8 April and were believed to be in Budapest on or around 12 April.
Kiran’s family issued a plea through police earlier on Monday. It said: “We would like to urge you, Sara and Asif, to make contact with us and let us know that you and the children are safe.
“Sara, we want to let you know that we love you; we miss you, Asif and the grandchildren. You are not in trouble, we are not angry or upset, and we just want you to return home safely.
“We appreciate the media can help get this message to Sara by sharing it to help the investigation. We, however, as a family, would ask that the media respect our privacy in this difficult period.”
AP said the Turkish official spoke on condition of anonymity because of Turkish rules requiring prior authorisation for comment.
In their appeal to the family on Sunday, Thames Valley police said: “Given the online rhetoric from the Islamic State encouraging people to travel to Syria, the direction of travel and concerns voiced by Asif’s family, Thames Valley police is concerned the family may be seeking to travel to Syria.”
Acting deputy chief constable John Campbell urged the family to get in touch to reassure relatives they were safe and well. He told a press conference: “I’m not suggesting for one moment that they are intending to join Islamic State. I don’t think there’s anything to suggest that.
“We know that having gone into Europe, their general direction of travel is towards Turkey, thereby we make the assumption towards Syria. At the same time, we know that the [wider] family have voiced some concerns about the family’s intentions. There’s been a suggestion that Mr Asif in the past has said that he would like to live in a Muslim state.”
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are urgently looking into reports that six British nationals have been arrested in Turkey. We stand ready to provide consular assistance.”
Police said Malik had previously expressed a wish to live in a Muslim country. On Sunday, it was claimed that he had been a member of the banned radical group al-Muhajiroun. The group’s former leader, Anjem Choudary, described Malik as a “champion for sharia [Islamic law]” who regularly attended the group’s events and demonstrations before it was proscribed in 2010.
Choudary said he had no information on the family’s plans, but said Malik remained “very influential in the community” after al-Muhajiroun was proscribed. “Asif is a very good friend of mine. I haven’t seen him for a while, but from what I gather in the reports he and his family have left the country,” he said.
“I last saw him a couple of months ago. He used to attend my lectures in Slough and west London. He attended many lectures over the years and is a very good friend.
“He is a very studious man, a very good Muslim character. He was always a champion for sharia and is very influential in the community.”
The pair had been friends for about 10 years, he added.
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