Ben Keith comments in the Times regarding the revelation that the Metropolitan Police allegedly knew that a smuggler working for Canadian intelligence was responsible for helping Begum and two friends from Bethnal Green, east London, to join Islamic State in Syria in 2015.
If the allegations could be proved, they would be “compelling evidence in [Begum’s] favour”.
“In that case, Begum would almost definitely be classed as a trafficked person under the definition of the UN trafficking convention, which has been incorporated into UK law.
“Under that convention, Begum would be seen as a victim and would have considerable protections — it is likely that the view would be that what happened in Syria was not her fault.”
To read the article in full on the Times' website, click here. The article was originally published on 31 August 2022
Ben Keith is a leading barrister specialising in Extradition and International Crime, as well as dealing with Immigration, Serious Fraud, and Public law. He has extensive experience of appellate proceedings before the Administrative and Divisional Courts, Criminal and Civil Court of Appeal as well as applications and appeals to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and United Nations. He is ranked in Chambers and Partners as a band 1 leader in the field of Extradition at the London Bar and in the Legal 500 as a Tier 1 leading individual in international crime and extradition.
