Turkey criticized Britain on Monday for taking too long to inform it about three London schoolgirls who travelled to Turkey last week possibly en route to join ISIS in Syria.
\nDeputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said he hoped the girls would be found, but that it would be Britain, not Turkey, to
\nblame if they were not.
\n\u201cIt is a condemnable act for Britain to let three girls … come to Istanbul and then let us know three days later … They
\nhaven’t taken the necessary measures,\u201d Arinc told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
\nThe three London schoolgirls arrived at Istanbul airport on Feb. 17 and British authorities, concerned that they were
\ntravelling to join Islamic State fighters, informed Ankara on Feb. 20, Arinc said.
\nTurkey was able to do little to track the movements of three people who had entered as tourists, he said.
\n\u201cThe search is ongoing. It would be great if we can find them. But if we can\u2019t, it is not us who will be responsible, but
\nthe British.\u201d
\nThousands of foreigners from more than 80 countries have joined the ranks of ISIS and other radical groups in Syria and Iraq, many crossing through Turkey.
\nTurkey has said it needs more detailed and faster information from Western intelligence agencies to intercept them.<\/p>\n