UK seeks to help Turkey with foreigners headed for Syria

Britain is seeking to better help Turkey prevent foreigners crossing into Syria to join jihadist groups, the chairman of the U.K.'s Home Affairs Select Committee stated on March 3.

"I do not think it is the job of the Turkish police and the Turkish authorities to chase our citizens. This all has to be done with cooperation," said Keith Vaz at the committee.

Three British students - Shamima Begum, 15, Amira Abase, 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16 - left Bethnal Green Academy in east London in February for Turkey, reportedly to cross into Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Surveillance video acquired by Istanbul police showed the trio at a major bus station in the city on Feb. 17. A British police team arrived in Turkey on Feb. 23, to assist investigations into the missing girls.

Vaz said British police officers were right to be there and Britain should be doing more to help.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Ar?nç said last week that Turkey was alerted by the U.K. three days after the three girls left Britain.

"It is clear that Turkey is now a destination of concern. It has been used as a gateway by British citizens to get to Syria, not just by British citizens, but those from other countries as well," said Vaz.

He said many of the estimated 600 British citizens who have travelled to Syria have passed through Turkey. "I think the international community should give more help to Turkey. Not just in terms of counter terrorism, but also illegal migration," Vaz said, adding that the Home Affairs Select Committee has a long-standing interest in counter-terrorism issues.

Speaking at a press briefing on Feb. 27, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç said the ministry...