British-born ISIS recruit Shamima Begum abruptly ended an interview with a journalist who located her more than 18 months after she was barred from the UK.

Begum, who left the UK as a teenager, was prohibited from reentering the country following a legal battle that resulted in the removal of her British citizenship. Despite initially agreeing to an interview with the Daily Express, she walked out during the interaction.

She was found at the al-Roj detention camp in Syria, appearing frail and pale. Begum expressed dissatisfaction with the line of questioning during the interview.

Journalist Richard Ashmore revealed that Begum responded with curt “no comment” replies regarding her prospects of returning home, noting that her chances might be higher now with the change in political leadership. This behavior was not new, as Begum had previously been unwelcoming to visitors at the camp.

Ashmore mentioned, “Instead of engaging, she inquired if I had any messages for her, suggesting a sense of entitlement despite her past decisions.”

Begum gained notoriety as the ‘ISIS Bride’ when she traveled to Syria in 2015 to marry an IS member during the school break, alongside two classmates from Bethnal Green Academy. While she claimed to have served as a housewife in the caliphate, intelligence sources indicated her involvement in dangerous activities like sewing explosives into suicide vests.

Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Home Office, emphasized the national security implications of Begum’s case, highlighting the potential risks associated with radicalization and manipulation.

Overall, Begum’s defiance and complex past continue to raise concerns about her involvement with ISIS and the challenges she poses to national security.