House of missing Luton family of 12 believed to be in Syria was searched before they left

THE house of a Luton family of 12 said to have gone to Syria was searched a day before they flew out on holiday, police have said.

One of the members of the group, which includes a one-year-old child, was stopped at Heathrow Airport and questioned whilst officers searched their home in Spencer Road, Luton, on April 9.

It is now believed they made the journey into Syria on their return in May and are reported to have contacted relatives in the UK today (July 2) to say they have arrived.

Bedfordshire Police said when they were stopped, nothing was found to suggest any of them were intending to travel to Syria and so they were allowed to fly out to Bangladesh on April 10.

Officers have so far been unable to confirm their whereabouts.

Relatives raised the alarm on May 17 when the family failed to return from their trip.

In a statement, the police said: “On the day that the family were due to travel to Bangladesh (9 April), one of the members of the party was stopped at Heathrow Airport and was subject to a schedule 7 examination.

“At the time the schedule 7 was taking place, a search was carried out at their home address in Spencer Road, Luton.

“There was no information, either through the schedule 7 or search, which suggested that any of the family were intending to travel to Syria, so they were allowed to travel the following day without any police intervention.

“While the suggestion is that the party’s current location is in Syria, this remains uncorroborated and our enquiries are continuing.

“We are not prepared to comment any further due to the fact there is an on-going investigation.”

The missing family members are:

• Muhammed Abdul Mannan, 75 and his wife Minera Khatun, 53
• Their daughter Rajia Khanom, 21, and sons Mohammed Zayd Hussain, 25, Mohammed Toufique Hussain, 19, Mohammed Abil Kashem Saker, 31, his wife Sheida Khanam, 27
• Mohammed Saleh Hussain, 26, and his wife Roshanara Begum, 24, along with three children, aged between one and 12