Turkish media on Sunday weekend said it obtained security footage of three British girls — who authorities believe traveled to Syria to join ISIS — at a bus station in Istanbul less than 24 hours after they disappeared.
Turkish television station, A Haber news, said the three girls in the video — dressed in heavy coats and carrying backpacks — taken at the Bayrampasa bus station, near Turkey's border with Syria, are Amira Abase, 15, Shamima Begum, 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16.
The girls ran away from their U.K. homes on Feb. 17, and London authorities said they have reason to believe the teens were on their way to Syria to join ISIS. They were spotted the same day boarding a flight out of London's Gatwick Airport to Turkey, and the footage reportedly taken at the train station shows the girls spent 18 hours in the station between Feb. 17 and Feb. 18. London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Feb. 24 that the girls had likely crossed into Syria.
Reuters reported Sunday that Turkish authorities are trying to track down people who are spotted in the video helping the girls with their bags. Turkish officials have admonished British authorities for not promptly notifying them of the girls' arrival.
The families of the three girls have appealed for them to come home in statements and media interviews.
"These three families had no idea of the intentions of their daughters — no idea whatsoever that they were going to be traveling to Turkey and that they intended to go to Syria," said Richard Walton, counterterrorism commander of the Metropolitan Police.
IN-DEPTH
- Three Missing U.K. Schoolgirls Likely in Syria, British Police Say
- Woman Accused of Recruiting U.K. Teens to Join ISIS in Syria Is a 'Disgrace': Family
- Families Beg Runaway U.K. Teen Girls Not to Join ISIS in Syria
— Elisha Fieldstadt, with Reuters
