The father of a girl suspected of running away
to join Isis in Syria said he took the youngster to a flag burning protest when
she was aged just 13.
Abase Hussen's daughter Amira was one of three
young girls who flew to Turkey before being smuggled across the border into
Syria in February.
Mr Hussen was pictured at an extremist rally
outside the US embassy attended by radical preacher Anjem Choudary where an
American flag was burned. He was also seen at a second protest with his
daughter outside the Saudi embassy to protest against the treatment of
Ethiopians in the country.
The 47-year-old who arrived in Britain in 1999
said he regretted attending the rallies along with his daughter who is now
believed to be in Syria.
He said he is not an extremist despite attending
a rally where the US flag was burnt: 'It was a mass protest. I had heard it was
going on from mosques, so I went there, I just went by myself, I went to show
my feelings because my religion was being insulted, my faith. Protesting is not
radical, it is our right.'
During the US embassy protest, Mr Hussen was
photographed near Michael Adebowale, one of men who was later convicted of the
murder of Lee Rigby.
Mr. Hussen said he is opposed to flag burning
and felt ashamed by the rally. But that he and his wife brought Amira to
the rally because there was no one at home to look after her.
After leaving Ethiopia, Mr Hussen moved to
Germany, but later settled in London. 'I came for democracy, for the freedom.
For a better life for children so they could learn English.' . Mr Hussen claimed that his daughter was 'not
an extremist' and that he misses her.
No comments:
Post a Comment