Bangladeshi family of UK safe with us: Islamic State

A UK family of Bangladeshi origin, feared missing, has reportedly joined the Islamic State.

A statement, said to be on their behalf, was passed to the BBC by a Briton fighting with the IS.

It was ‘outrageous’ to suggest that the entire family was kidnapped and forced to join the group, it said. 

"We say to those that are concerned for our safety to put your hearts at rest for we feel safer than we have ever felt before." 

UK police have previously said they may have travelled to Syria.

The family of 12, including three children aged between one and 11, from Luton, has not been seen since May 17.

They were in the Islamic State - a land "free from corruption and oppression," it was said in the statement. 

The missing British-Bangladeshi family of 12. Photo: Bedfordshire Police/Handout

They were not "commanded" to join by a single person but by the “Khalifah of the Muslims ... who has called all Muslims, whether young or old, single or in families, to make hijrah to the state of Islam."

The BBC said it has not been able to verify independently if the statement is genuine.

It, however, included a photo of 75-year old Muhammed Abdul Mannan and a woman in veil.

Mannan’s two sons, understood to be from his previous marriage, reported them missing.

Quoting police, BBC reported that the family flew to Bangladesh on April 10 and then to Istanbul on May 11.

They were due back at Heathrow three days later but failed to return.

It is believed that Mannan’s daughter Rajia Khanom, 21, had links to banned Islamist group al-Muhajiroun, which had members in Luton, the BBC said.

Earlier in a similar case, three sisters reportedly travelled to Syria with their nine children.

Sisters Khadija, Sugra and Zohra Dawood and their children went missing on June 9, and an IS smuggler later told the BBC they had reached Syria.

Besides Mannan, the others in the family are his wife Minera Khatun, 53, daughter Rajia Khanom, 21, and sons Mohammed Zayd Hussain, 25, Mohammed Toufique Hussain, 19, Mohammed Abul Kashem Saker, 31, and his wife Sheida Khanam, 27.

Mohammed Saleh Hussain, 26, his wife Roshanara Begum, 24, along with their three children were also with them.