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Travel agents asked to help stop children fleeing to Syria
The travel industry has been asked by the Government to help identify children who might be travelling to Syria and other war zones to join terror organisations .
In the first of a series of National Counter Terrorism travel industry bulletins sent out by ABTA to members this week, it said it was known that many young people have already travelled to Syria via UK ports.
“We need your support to identify others who may seek to follow them by using this guidance for identifying vulnerable people,” it said.
The document was released just days after it emerged that three London schoolgirls who fled to Syria earlier this month had booked flights to Turkey with a travel agent, paying in cash.
The document said: “The travel sector is vitally important in helping to maximise all opportunities to deal with the threat which this travel creates, whilst safeguarding, in particular, young people who may travel to areas of conflict from the UK.”
Warning signs to look out listed in the document include children aged between 13 and 17 travelling to Turkey without their parents and alone or with others of a similar age, booking within four weeks of departure and possibly travelling on someone else’s passport.
Travel industry professionals with concerns have been given a hotline to call – 0800 789 321 – and Border Force says it will speak to anyone identified to establish their reason for travel.
“Where necessary, to safeguard the welfare of a young person, we may take steps to prevent them from travelling,” it said.
It said if anyone is concerned about young people who have already left the country, they should also contact the authorities.
“The travel industry is a key partner in our efforts to detect and deter people from travelling for extremist purposes,” it said. “Your actions could help save lives.”
Companies have been asked to share the document across their organisations.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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