Rochdale Council of Mosques shocked at news of young Rochdale family stopped at Turkey/Syria border

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Imam Irfan Chishti

Rochdale Council of Mosques (RCM) has issued a statement saying it is shokced to learn of the investigation into a family detained by the Turkish authorities attempting to travel to Syria.

Imam Irfan Chishti MBE (spokesperson for the RCM) stated: "It is extremely shocking to hear that there is allegedly a family with children as young as one and three who are involved in the incident.

"At this stage as there is a live police investigation going on we cannot make any further comments on the specifics of this case.

“Rochdale Council of Mosques has always worked closely with the Police and the Local Authority on matters of safeguarding and grooming - and if this case is linked in any way to the terrorist organisation Daesh then it is clearly a case involving both these issues.

"We are confident that none of our member mosques are implicated in spreading the hate message of the extremists rather many are working hard to provide the counter narrative to extremism.

"Our message to the community at large has always been one of awareness - many parents still are oblivious to the dangers of the internet where grooming of all forms is rife."

Chairman of the RCM, Tahir Mahmood said “we are deeply concerned to hear the news of such a young family apparently trying to get into Syria and we are desperately hoping that there is a much more innocent explanation that what the reports are alleging at the moment.”