Scotland Yard brief students at missing girls' school in UK

Scotland Yard officers today briefed students and staff at the east London school from where three girls are feared to have fled to Syria to join the dreaded Islamic State militant group.
The head teacher of Bethnal Green Academy, Mark Keary, told reporters here that the police joined experts in de- radicalisation from the British government's Prevent programme to hold a dialogue at the institution.
"Police have advised us there is no evidence radicalisation took place at the academy," said Keary.
"It is clear that this is an international issue which is increasing in severity and it's affecting schools across the country and beyond. Our priority is to provide a business as usual approach for our 1,200 students and staff," he said.

Shamima Begum, Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, flew from London to Turkey on Tuesday.
The girls have been described as smart "Straight A" students by their families, who have appealed for them to return home.

The girls were all studying for their GCSEs, equivalent of Class 10 exams in India, at the school which reopened on Monday after half-term holidays.
The head teacher said the school was "shocked and saddened" by their disappearance.
He said: "This situation follows the earlier disappearance of a student in December of last year. The police spoke to the student's friends at that time and, further to this, they indicated there was no evidence the girls were at risk of being radicalised or absconding."

Worried parents had received a letter on Friday from the school, which has been rated outstanding by watchdog Ofsted, telling them what had happened and assured them it was doing everything possible to tackle the situation.
This news came as six French citizens had their passports confiscated after allegedly planning to travel to Syria.
The right to remove passports was introduced there amid a raft of new counter-terrorism laws in November last year.
Meanwhile, Scotland Yard officers have now arrived in Turkey as the search for the girls continues.