Back in April, Turkish security forces arrested a British family of six, who were seeking to cross the border into violence-plagued Syria and join the ranks of the Daesh Takfiri militant group.
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Police are trying to trace a family of seven from Bradford who are believed to have travelled to Turkey.
According to police, Imran and Farzana Ameen and their five children, aged five to 15, were reported missing on Tuesday.
They travelled from their home to Turkey – a well-known route to people heading to the Syrian war-zone where so-called Islamic State control large parts of the country.
Siddique, who lives across the road to the family in Birch Lane, West Bowling, said their families were sick with worry.
This morning, Ishtiaq Ahmed, the President of Bradford Council for Mosques, said he was extremely concerned for the family and particularly for the safety of the children.
“I would urge anyone with information about the family’s whereabouts to come forward and speak to police so that we can facilitate the families safe return to the UK”. She is said to have told family members she is doing what is “best for the kids”, without revealing her location.
There are now no links with the missing family and the Dawood family, who also went missing from Bradford in June.
Asked about Farzana Ameen’s missing brother, he said: “Clearly that’s a concern for us and another line of inquiry”. He said he had been assured by police that they were still treating it as a missing persons case rather than a counter-terrorism investigation.
“Any piece of information, no matter how small, could help the United Kingdom or overseas authorities to locate the family so that they can be safely returned home”. Our key concern is for the safety of the children.
They are the second family from Bradford feared to have gone to Syria.
She sent him messages, and apparently the last message was: “whatever she’s doing she’s doing the best for the kids”, Arshid Siddique said.
He said: ” We have established they travelled to Turkey on a one-way ticket and although this is being treated as a missing from home enquiry we are keeping an open mind and haven’t ruled out that the family may intend travelling to Syria or Iraq.
She then told relatives her husband had a new job lined up in Dubai and they were leaving imminently. Even at that time there was something telling me something was not right.
He continued: “I think it was maybe a week and then the cops turned up”.
Khadija Dawood, 30, Sugra Dawood, 34, and Zohra Dawood, 33, and their children, aged between three and 15, sparked an global police search when they disappeared after travelling to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage. He described Imran as “quiet” before adding: “God only knows now, with the internet”.
Mr Siddique said Mrs Ameen, who is known as Jani, took her mother – who is believed to suffer from Alzheimers and was cared for by her daughter – to Pakistan several weeks ago.
The West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson, has joined the police to appeal for information to help trace the family.
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“It’s not a safe place for young people and therefore I think people would be taking a great risk if they were to flee and go to that part of the world under the current circumstances”, he added.
