London, Jan. 20: Konika Dhar unexpectedly won a great deal of sympathy yesterday when she appeared before the House of Commons select committee on home affairs even though her brother, Siddhartha Dhar, Bengali boy turned "Islamic State" extremist, is today probably the most wanted man in the world.
The committee's chairman, Keith Vaz, could not offer Konika the help or advice she had sought but promised to write to the home office to see if anything could be done to support parents and siblings left behind in Britain when extremists flee the country.
Asked for his assessment of Konika, Vaz told The Telegraph today: "We were all impressed with the courage and openness shown by Konika. Her evidence showed that there are crucial gaps in the process of helping families of those who have suddenly turned from normal individuals into those who support terror groups."
"All communities should be alert to radicalisation," emphasised Vaz.
What the government is trying to do is find ways to prevent the radicalisation of young Muslims - as a Hindu, 32-year-old Siddhartha is the lone exception.
His sister, who is three years younger, said the radicalisation process in her brother's case was slow and probably took about 10 years. The man who had gone to Syria was very different from the brother she had known and loved but, in any case, Siddhartha had been estranged from his mother and sisters for 10 years.
Siddhartha, who converted to Islam as a teenager but now lives in Syria under the name of "Abu Rumaysah", is suspected of being the masked killer brandishing a gun in the most recent IS execution video.
Konika submitted herself to close questioning by members of the home affairs committee, which concerns itself with matters of terrorism.
Konika said that after her brother fled to Syria with his wife and children, she needed help but there was no one to whom that she, her younger sister Lolita and their mother, Sobita, could turn.
On social media, too, while some condemned Konika for suggesting he had once been a "good man", other showed understanding for the sister's dilemma.
"Amazingly thoughtful & measured thoughts... at Westminster extremism hearing. Must be so hard to discuss family. Very brave," said a tweet from Jane Renton.
Brenda Vallely took a similar line: "Gosh I feel bad for Konika Dhar, having to answer these questions and it's live on TV. So difficult!"
David Taylor, a technical director, added: "Ms Dhar showed great strength in speaking in such a forum where politicians are more interested in looking tough than getting any insight._ Any person can be helped and enlightened once they realise there are no gods or prophets and we all have only one unique life."
John Cantelo said: "She showed precisely the confused emotional response that any sibling would when faced with a loved brother who had not only become a stranger to her, but evidently a murderous one too. That she was willing to be publically grilled about the issues this case raises was undoubtedly courageous."
Siddhartha is now called "the new Jihadi John" by tabloid newspapers. The first is a reference to Londoner, Mohammed Emwazi, who had also appeared - hooded - in execution videos. He attracted attention because of his London accent. Yesterday, the IS formally confirmed he was killed in an American drone attack in November.
This could also be Siddhartha's fate because in the video posted the masked man is shown participating with four others in the cold blooded execution of five prisoners.
To add to his troubles, Channel 4 yesterday broadcast a documentary, The Jihadis Next Door, which included an interview with Siddhartha conducted two years ago.
Wave a black flag, he said: "These are the black flags of Islam. This one's actually the flag of the Islamic State, so one day when the Sharia comes, you will see this black flag everywhere."
There was one especially emotional moment during the committee hearing when one MP, Nusrat Ghani, wept as she sought Konika's reaction to the IS's policy of systematically abusing women: "One of the women states, 'One of the saddest things I remember is this little girl, 12 years old, and they raped her without mercy.' These are the activities your brother has engaged in - do you still think he's a good man?"
Konika struggled for words and finally replied: "I think this is quite a sort of sensitive topic to talk about. My opinion will always be biased because he's my brother. I don't want to believe he is who he is today and ... I still don't want to associate the activities that Nusrat has just described with my brother."
She said: "I think this is one thing that needs to be addressed, because for me personally it was very difficult to know who to turn to. I didn't know whether to contact the police, whether to go via the media or speak to family members ... it was a bit of a shock."
"I have never been in this situation before, I have never known anybody to go through this, so I think it's important for other families to know what are the appropriate steps one needs to take in order to get their loved one back, who is the right person to contact," she went on.
"I thought I did the right thing, and I hope it is, but I am just wary if I am making things worse now," she admitted. "I am not trying to, I just miss my brother very much and I'm just trying to make him realise that none of this is him."
