Police were ‘monitoring’ family feared en route to Syria

These are the first images of the missing Dawood family together and leaving for Saudi Arabia, obtained by Channel 4 News.

The extended family of 12 are feared to be headed to Syria after the family lost contact with the sisters, Sugra Dawood, Zohra Dawood, and Khadiga Dawood, and their children.

The family failed to return from Saudi Arabia and were last heard from in Turkey.

Images obtained by Channel 4 News appear to show the family at the airport in the UK with trolleys piled with luggage.

‘Surveillance’

A family friend speaking to Channel 4 News has claimed that the sister had been under extensive police surveillance.

Channel 4 News has been unable to independently verify the extent of the alleged monitoring.

The police have not yet responded to requests for comment about whether they had the women under surveillance.

The family’s lawyer has said that the remaining family here is “extremely worried and feel helpless”. The family last called home on 9 June.

It is thought that the family were on their way to Medina in Saudi Arabia for a pilgrimage, before heading to Turkey.

Turkey’s border with Syria is the most common route into Islamic State-held territory in the country.