Zahera Tariq: Woman thought to be taking her children to Turkey to join Isis arrested on suspicion of child abduction after returning to Britain

The family were reported missing from their home in Walthamstow, north east London last week

CCTV issued by the Metropolitan Police of Zahera Tariq, 33, with her children Muhammad, 12, Amaar, 11, Safiyyah, nine and Aadid, four, at London City Airport (PA)

A mother, feared to be taking her four children with her to Syria to join Isis, has been arrested returning to the UK.

Zahera Tariq was detained in Turkey on Tuesday and arrested by Metropolitan Police when she flew back into Luton Airport on Thursday evening.

The 33-year-old had been travelling with her sons Muhammad, 12, Amaar, 11, Aadid, four and daughter Safiyyah, nine.

All were reported to be “safe and well”.

Tariq was placed under arrest by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command on suspicion of child abduction when she arrived back at the Bedfordshire airport at 7.45pm.

A Met Police spokesman said: "Officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) have arrested a 33-year-old woman at Luton Airport on suspicion of child abduction.

"The woman was arrested at approximately 7.45pm as she was entering the UK, having just disembarked a flight from Istanbul, Turkey.

"Her four children with whom she was travelling were taken into police protection. Enquiries continue."

The family were reported missing from their home in Walthamstow, north east London last week.

They were believed to have flown to Amsterdam on 25 August.

Detectives found CCTV footage from London City Airport capturing the family just before boarding a flight to the Netherlands.

A number of cases have emerged of women and children travelling from the UK to parts of Syria to join the so-called Islamic State.

And Scotland Yard recently confirmed it believed more than 40 women and girls had travelled to Syria from Britain in the last year.