Local security forces in Syria last week arrested British national Sharmeena Begum. According to information from the German investigation, she was a point of contact for Abdallah Balout, the perpetrator of the “Christopher Street Day” attack in Berlin, days before the attack. German journalist Florian Flade, who specialises in terrorism, said Sharmeena Begum was in contact with Islamists in Europe and North America, raised money for jihadists and circulated propaganda for the Islamic State (ISIS).

Allegiance Video before the Berlin Attack

Before boarding a rented truck on the evening of 25 July and heading to Großer Tiergarten, Balout recorded a clip on his phone. In it he appeared masked, with only his eyes visible, and spoke in Arabic, taking what is known as the “bay’ah” (oath of allegiance) to the ISIS leader. The recording contained no information about the attack, but investigators regarded it as a declaration of affiliation or a claim of responsibility.

Authorities found the recording on Balout’s phone, which he left inside the vehicle before fleeing the scene. Unlike in other attacks, it was not published through ISIS propaganda channels.

Before the attack, Balout sent the recording to a Syria-based contact, whom investigators at Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) identified as Sharmeena Begum. According to Mr Flade, she was supposed to pass the recording to a representative of ISIS propaganda outlets. That person was later killed, apparently during fighting in the Gaza Strip, which may explain why the video was not published. The German information indicates that Sharmeena Begum was going to resend the recording to the official, and the reason this did not happen is unknown.

Days before the attack, Sharmeena Begum and Balout exchanged messages online, according to investigators’ analysis of Balout’s seized phone. But German investigators do not believe she directed or trained him, and the current findings do not point to a relationship of the kind seen in other attacks.

From London to ISIS

Sharmeena Begum was 15 when she left Britain via Turkey for Syria in December 2014, after a sudden disappearance and a missing-person report. She joined what the group described as the “caliphate”. She comes from Bethnal Green in east London, and her parents came to Britain from Bangladesh.

According to Mr Flade, Sharmeena Begum radicalised during her teenage years and established contacts with British Islamists who were heading to Syria at the time to join ISIS.

Three months later, three schoolmates from Bethnal Green Academy followed her: Amira Abase and Shamima Begum, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, who was 16. The three girls also joined ISIS in Syria.

Mr Flade noted that Shamima Begum, despite the similar family name, is not a relative of Sharmeena Begum. Shamima’s case received wide attention in Britain. Kurdish forces captured her after the collapse of ISIS, and she was found in 2019 in a camp in northern Syria. The British government revoked her citizenship and refused her return. She denied taking part in terrorist attacks, later said she had renounced extremist ideology and asked to be allowed to return.

The question of her citizenship and right of return became a major legal case, as British courts examined the legality of revoking her citizenship and whether the decision rendered her stateless. According to Mr Flade, Shamima remains detained, does not hold British citizenship and currently cannot return to Britain.

(Photo of Shamima Begum – Credit: Internet)

Escape from Al-Hol Camp

Sharmeena Begum was also captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), but apparently managed to escape from Al-Hol camp in north-eastern Syria in 2022. Since then, she had hidden inside Syria and apparently used a new identity, according to information revealed by the BBC.

According to Mr Flade, she returned to activity, using social media to raise donations for jihadists and circulate ISIS propaganda. She was also regarded as one of those who link extremist networks, and she maintained electronic contact with Islamists in Europe and North America, including Balout.

Mr Flade, citing security circles, said the operation was not carried out at the request of German investigators, while security services in other countries may also be interested in her. It remains unclear whether Britain has revoked her citizenship, as it did with Shamima Begum, or why the Syrian authorities decided to arrest her at this time.

The case comes in the context of what a study by the European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies describes as a change in ISIS’s threat pattern in Syria since the fall of the regime of Bashar Al-Assad in December 2024. The study said the group’s ability to hold ground has declined, while it can still carry out limited attacks and choose targets with security and political impact.

The study noted that the transfer of power and the shift in control in north-eastern Syria had given the group opportunities to exploit security and social gaps. It explained that the threat cannot be measured by the number of attacks alone, as small cells can carry out limited operations with wide impact, especially when targeting civilians or state institutions.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.