Missing Muslim family in UK may be on Syria terror trail

A British Muslim couple along with their four young children have gone missing and are feared to be on their way to join Islamic State terrorists in Syria.
The family of six from Slough in the south-east England county of Berkshire were last seen on April 7 and were reported missing on April 16.
Police have appealed for information for Asif Malik, 31, Sara Kiran, 29, their daughter Zoha, seven, and three sons Essa, four, Zakariya, two, and one-year-old Yhaya.
Thames Valley Police acting Deputy Chief Constable John Campbell said: "We are reaching out to Asif and Sara in the hope that they hear our messages, and we encourage them to make contact with us so we can return them safely to their families, who are extremely worried about them.

"We are concerned about anyone who has or is intending to travel to the part of Syria that is controlled by the terrorist group calling themselves Islamic State. It is an extremely dangerous place and not a place where young children should be taken."
Officers believe they travelled south through Europe, possibly by train, and passed through Budapest, Hungary, on or around April 12.

The report comes as international intelligence officials revealed to 'The Sunday Times' that at least 1,600 Britons have travelled to the Syrian and Iraqi battlefields, more than double the number previously reported.
The newspaper reports that these include at least 100 "jihadist brides" who are in Syria to marry fighters and entire families who have joined IS.

"And we're still seeing at least about five people leaving the UK for Syria and Iraq every week - and that's not to count the ones we don't know about," the newspaper quoted an intelligence source as saying.
Meanwhile, six people arrested by UK police over alleged terror offences after they were stopped at the Turkey-Syria border have been released without charge.
Five people aged between 21 and 47 were arrested earlier this month on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
The five were among a group of nine from Rochdale - five adults and four children - detained in Turkey three weeks ago.

The nine were initially held in the Turkish city of Hatay, suspected of being en route to Syria to join IS.
However, no evidence was uncovered to suggest any imminent threat to the communities of Rochdale or the UK.