British police officers are in Turkey as the search continues for three schoolgirls believed to be heading for Syria to join Islamic State militants. Shamima Begum, Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, flew to Turkey on Tuesday and their families have made appeals for them to come home. They were all studying for GCSEs at Bethnal Green Academy in London, which will reopen later after half-term. Scotland Yard would not confirm what its officers' role in Turkey was. But a spokesman said: "Officers are working closely with the Turkish authorities who are providing a great deal of assistance and support to our investigation." Security services have been criticised after it emerged that - before leaving the UK - Shamima sent a Twitter message to Aqsa Mahmood, who left Glasgow for Syria in 2013 to marry an Islamic State fighter. According to a lawyer for Ms Mahmood's family, her Twitter account has been "monitored" by police since she left Britain - and he said authorities should have seen Shamima's message and taken action before she and her two friends followed. Shamima's sister, Renu Begum, said she hoped her sister had gone to Syria to bring back another girl from Bethnal Green Academy who went there in December. Ms Begun said Shamima and her friends were "young" and "vulnerable" and if anyone had tried to persuade them to go to Syria it was a "cruel and evil" thing to do. "We don't want her to do anything stupid - she is a sensible girl," she added. "We just want her home, we want her safe." Abase Hussen said his daughter had said goodbye to him in a normal way: "There was no sign to suspect her at all" Amira's father, Abase Hussen, said: "The message we have for Amira is to get back home. We miss you. We cannot stop crying. Please think twice. Don't go to Syria." Holding a teddy bear Amira had given her mother, Mr Hussen added: "Remember how we love you. Your sister and brother cannot stop crying." In an appeal to Kadiza, her sister Halima Khanom said: "Find the courage in your heart to contact us and let us know that you are safe and you are OK. That is all we ask of you."
