Homerton grad missing as husband joins ISIS in Syria
Iimaan Ismail, a Cambridge graduate and ex-Tab writer, has not been heard of since being released from Manchester police custody following allegations of ‘wilful ignorance’
The Daily Mail reports that Iimaan Ismail, who graduated in 2013 with a 2.1 in Politics, was taken in by police for questioning following allegations that she had concealed her husband’s decision to join ISIS for six months.
An active member of the university community during her time at Cambridge, Ismail was previously vice-president of the university’s Islamic Society, and also contributed to debate articles in The Tab and CUSU’s Access Blog.
Following graduation, she taught English at Chorlton High School in Manchester, but quit her job soon before her disappearance.
Ismail’s husband, Nur Hassan, is a second generation Somalian immigrant who arrived in the UK via Finland.
Following his escape to Syria, he has been banned from returning to Britain, and is expected to be extradited to Finland should he attempt to enter British borders.
Hassan’s disappearance did not come to light until he messaged his teenage brother, raising police suspicions that Ismail had displayed ‘wilful blindness’ over her husband’s religious radicalisation and subsequent escape, according to the Daily Mail.
When contacted by The Tab, Manchester police were unable to comment on Ismail’s case, and would not confirm if any formal charges have been brought against her.