LONDON

The family of a British woman that has travelled to Syria and joined the ranks of the Islamic State militant group have said they feel "betrayed" over her actions. 

The 20-year-old woman, Aqsa Mahmood, is believed to have travelled to Syria in November last year, and was reported missing by the family. The family made the statement after a Twitter account attributed to their daughter appeared to make comments that encouraged people in the U.K. to carry out acts similar to the Woolwich murder of a British soldier. 

A solicitor speaking on behalf of Khalida Mahmood and Muzaffar Mahmood said: "Aqsa was always a very sweet, peaceful, intelligent child and inquisitive about everything. All parents want to be proud of their children but sadly we feel nothing but sorrow and shame for Aqsa."

One of her tweets said, "Follow the examples of your brothers from Woolwich, Texas and Boston," making reference to the 2009's Fort Hood shooting, which killed 13 people, and the Boston marathon bombings. 

Another message posted under the name of Umm Layth said, "If you cannot make it to the battlefield, then bring the battlefield to yourself."

"We still love you, Aqsa, but we now have to put your family, your brother and sisters first as you have betrayed us, our community and the people of Scotland when you took this step," said her family.

"You have torn the heart out of our family and changed our lives forever. Please come home," they pleaded. Aqsa’s mother sat with her head tilted down, barely lifting her eyes to face the camera.

Aqsa Mahmood attended a private school in Glasgow and university. In February, her family learned that she had married an IS fighter in Syria. The family said they knew nothing about the man she was reported to have married.  

"There is no smoking gun, no family member, no fundamentalist preacher that can be blamed for her radicalization. We have spent months asking ourselves the question, whether we could have done better and we do not know the answer," said the Mahmood family. 

"She may believe that the jihadists of IS are her new family but they are not and are simply using her."

They added: "We are concerned that a growing climate of fear in this country means that children will not discuss how they feel with their family and friends, and this will only spell disaster for society."

On Monday, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the government was looking at introducing new powers to prevent people traveling to Syria. He said that they would strip citizenship off dual nationals and refuse entry back into Britain for those suspected of taking part in the fighting.  

www.aa.com.tr/en