Judge dismisses care proceedings against woman stopped from taking children to Turkey
Social services bosses had argued that the woman intended to travel from Turkey to Syria and aimed to join Isis
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Your support makes all the difference.Social services bosses have failed to convince a family court judge that a Muslim woman detained with her four children as they tried to board a flight to Turkey intended to join Isis militants in Syria.
The woman – who was not identified in the written ruling - said she was travelling to Turkey for a "family holiday". She denied she was a "radical fundamentalist" and said she had no links with the terrorist group.
Judge Sir James Munby said was "suspicious" about the woman but was unable to conclude that her aim had been to "take up arms" with Isis.
He said: "I am left suspicious of what the mother was really up to but I am unable to conclude that the local authority has proved any part of its case."
Detail of the case has emerged in a ruling on the case by Sir James, the President of the Family Division of the High Court - and the most senior family court judge in England and Wales, following a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in Liverpool.
Social services bosses had argued that the woman intended to travel from Turkey to Syria and aimed to join "Isis militants and to supply them with items of use".
The judge said social workers alleged the mother was a “radical fundamentalist” with links to Isis who planned to take her children to Syria, and “knowingly […] place the children at risk of significant harm”.
Sir James said the woman and her children - aged between three and 13 - had been stopped at an airport in the UK in March. The children had been placed with foster carers but were now back with their mother.
The council – also not identified – had asked him to make findings of fact about the woman's intentions so social workers could make decisions about the children's futures.
The woman disputed the allegations.
"She says that she was intending to travel to Turkey with the children for the purposes of a legitimate family holiday," said Sir James.
"Her position ... was that, 'I am a practising Muslim. I do not regard myself as a radical fundamentalist and have no links or contacts with Isis militants'."
Sir James dismissed the care and wardship proceedings.
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