Three Missing Schoolgirls Boarded Turkish Airlines Flight

Turkish authorities were told within 24 hours of east London teenagers Shamima Begum, Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase going missing last Tuesday.
UK police have denied a claim from Turkey that it took three days to tell authorities there about three missing schoolgirls.

 Scotland Yard issued a statement after criticism from Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc.

"Once we established that the girls had travelled to Turkey, police made contact with the foreign liaison officer at the Turkish Embassy in London on Wednesday, 18 February," the statement said.

"Since then we have been working closely with the Turkish authorities who are providing great assistance and support to our investigation."

Mr Arinc had said he hoped the girls would be found, but added that if they were not, Britain would be to blame . 

He said: "It is a condemnable act for Britain to let three girls... come to Istanbul and then let us know three days later... They haven't taken the necessary measures.

"The search is ongoing. It would be great if we can find them. But if we can't, it is not us who will be responsible, but the British."

The three schoolgirls are believed to have boarded a Turkish Airlines flight at Gatwick.

It is thought their intention is to cross into Syria and join terror group Islamic State.

Mr Arinc said Turkey was able to do very little to track the movements of three people who had entered as tourists.

Thousands of foreigners from more than 80 countries have joined the ranks of Islamic State and other radical groups in Syria and Iraq, many crossing through Turkey.

As many as 500 Britons are thought to have made their way to Syria or Iraq to join the jihadists.

Turkey has said it needs more detailed and faster information from Western intelligence agencies to intercept them.

Meanwhile, the girls' school said on Monday it had "no evidence" they were at risk from radicalisation  despite another pupil disappearing in December.