Terrorist-recruiting jihadi bride added to US blacklist

Aqsa Mahmood’s family questioned the measures as she became one of four people to face international restrictions.

The US and UK governments established the sanctions in an attempt to deal with the flow of people from the UK to the Middle East where they are joining ISIS.

Ms Mahmood left Glasgow for Syria in 2013. She publishes advice for women who want to join ISIS and has lauded the actions of Islamic fundamentalists.

But her family said that by imposing a travel ban on her and freezing her assets, of which she has none, the government was washing its hands of those who wish to leave ISIS.

They added the sanctions would have “absolutely no deterrent effect on radicalised young ISIS recruits”.

In a statement, the family said: “The real danger is a future where some families will fail to inform the authorities when their children leave for Isis in case that door is closed for their return.”

A US Treasury Department spokesman said Ms Mahmood is a recruiter for ISIS; that she is a member of the all-female Raqqa police unit whose activities include luring women to Syria to join ISIS.

The spokesman said: “In February 2015, Mahmood helped recruit three UK minors to travel to Syria, where they joined ISIS.

“At least one of the three minors had been in direct contact with Mahmood via social media in the days prior to their departure.

“As an Isis recruiter, Mahmood posts practical information and advice to young women interested in joining Isis on her blog.”

The family’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar said: “Aqsa’s family described the sanctions as little more than useless grandstanding by the Prime Minister which will have zero impact on the activities of Aqsa Mahmood, but more importantly do very little to deter young people from being recruited to ISIS.

“Aqsa’s family remain full of rage at her activities which they describe as a twisted and distorted perversion of Islam, but they had always hoped that one day she would see ISIS for the barbaric death cult it is and return home.”