Mother of Yusra Hussien says family home in Bristol feels empty as family insist there is no proof she was radicalised
By Steven Morris, The Guardian
Wednesday, October 01, 2014
The family of a 15-year-old girl missing from her home in Bristol and feared to be heading for Syria have made an emotional appeal for her to return.
Addressing Yusra Hussien, her mother, Safiya, said the family home in Bristol was empty and sad since her disappearance almost a week ago.
The family rejected Avon and Somerset police’s assertion that she may have been radicalised, insisting there was no proof.
In a statement read out by two of Yusra’s aunts at a press conference hosted by the police, the family said: “We are making this heart-breaking appeal for our daughter, Yusra Hussien, who has been missing since Wednesday 24 September.
“As every day passes we become more and more concerned about her safety and welfare.
“Yusra, our daughter is a very young, bright, bubbly girl who is loved by not only her family but her peers, teachers and her community. She’s a typical teenager – she loves to play table tennis and to ride her bicycle and she used to run with her brother, who’s the next Mo Farah.”
The statement continued: “Our family is heartbroken and we are struggling to come to terms with this situation.
“The pain that we as parents feel, at not knowing her safety, is very distressing, and is something we believe every parent can relate to.
“There have been many assumptions and speculations claiming that Yusra is travelling to Syria, that she maybe an extremist, or that she is planning to become a jihadist bride, all of which have not as of yet been proved with any concrete evidence.
“We would like to make a request to the media to not state anything which is both incorrect and not backed by evidence.
“Yusra, we are missing you. If you are watching this please contact us. You are not in trouble and we are not angry with you. We just want you back home with us.”
“From your mother – please dear Yusra, I love and I miss you, my heart is torn, and I want you home as soon as possible. Your brothers and baby sister are missing you and the house has not been the same since you left.
“From your father – Yusra, I’m not angry, I just want you to be safe. Please come back!
“We are working with the police to find you and we are praying to God that we will find you safe and bring you back home.
“We would just like to thank the Somali community and all the other communities that have shown us their support and love. We also want to give our gratitude to the police for their ongoing support.
“Anyone who can assist the police could you please do so immediately.”