London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2026

British 'Jihadi' bride back in UK living on canal boat and benefits

British 'Jihadi' bride back in UK living on canal boat and benefits

A British 'Jihadi' bride who denies leading an all-female Islamic State unit in Syria is now back in the UK living on a canal boat and claiming Universal Credit.

Natalie Bracht, 45, who holds dual British and Germany citizenship, was said to have travelled to Syria towards the end of 2014 before begging to be allowed to return to the UK in October 2018.

She had most recently been living in Heidelberg, Germany, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit, she was repatriated, according to The Sunday People.

After visiting the British consulate in Dusseldorf Bracht was given a ticket for a British Airways flight to London on April 3.

On arrival in the UK she was then questioned for more than three hours by Special Branch under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The mother-of-nine told the paper: 'They asked me where I had stayed in Syria. I had to tell them a couple of times, "Guys, I wasn't in Syria."'

Bracht also said that she was asked for her thoughts on Brexit, elections and vaccines.

She said she had initially been put up in a £44-a-night Travelodge before moving onto a barge and claims she receives help from the Helping Households Under Great Stress organisation.



On arrival in the UK she was then questioned for more than three hours by Special Branch under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Pictured: File image of Natalie Bracht at King's Cross station, issued on November 18, 2008



Bracht now hopes to work as a busker and has claimed Universal Credit.

It was previously alleged that Bracht had married Celso Rodrigues da Costa, 31, an IS fighter from London after travelling to Syria and that she was among a group of Western women being held in Kurdish-controlled camps in northern Syria.

But she has now denied ever having joined Islamic State in Syria and said that living as a full-time terror suspect has made her stronger.

However, Bracht also said that she started volunteering in 2012 as an interpreter for the controversial campaign group Cage.

She translated letters for terror suspects held in prison all over the world because of concerns she had over Islamophobia.

She said: 'They are in prison, then they are free again and then they are not convicted but treated for the rest of their lives as full-time terror suspects. They never had convictions.'



Bracht, who holds dual British and Germany citizenship, was said to have travelled to Syria towards the end of 2014



Cage has said that it had no ­record of Bracht volunteering.

Bracht's comments come only weeks after Shamima Begum was involved in a legal battle to win back her British citizenship to return to the UK.

The 45-year-old said that Begum had been brainwashed on the internet and shouldn't have been allowed to leave the country in the first place.

The Home Office said: 'We do not comment on individual cases.'


It was previously alleged that Bracht had married Celso Rodrigues da Costa, 31, (pictured) an IS fighter from London after travelling to Syria

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
King Charles Plans US State Visit as UK Strengthens Ties with Trump Leadership
UK Regulator Launches Investigation Into Microsoft’s Business Software Practices
Kanye West Set for High-Profile Return to UK Stage at Wireless Festival
Trump Presses Europe to Strengthen Commitment as Iran Conflict Escalates
UK to Deploy Additional Troops to Middle East Amid Rising Regional Tensions
UK Authorities Face Claims of Heavy-Handed Measures in Monitoring Released Pro-Palestine Activists
Trump Calls on UK to Secure Its Own Energy as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Nigel Farage Declines Invitation to UK Conservative Conference Led by Liz Truss
Trump Warns Allies to Take Responsibility as Rift Deepens with UK and France Over Iran Conflict
How Britain’s Prime Minister Controls U.S. Bomber Access in Escalating Iran Conflict
Trump Urges Allies to Secure Their Own Oil Supplies as Hormuz Crisis Disrupts Global Energy
Russia Expels British Diplomat as UK Pushes Back Against Pressure
White House App Faces Scrutiny After Claims of Continuous User Location Tracking
BBC Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Paid Content Linked to Saudi Arabia
UK-France Coastal Patrol Agreement Nears Breakdown Amid Migration Pressures
UK Police Detain Pro-Palestine Activist Again Weeks After Bail Release
FTSE 100 Advances as Energy and Mining Shares Gain Amid Middle East Tensions
Eli Lilly Seeks UK Pricing Deal to Unlock Renewed Pharmaceutical Investment
Three Arrested in UK After Massive Cocaine Haul Discovered Hidden in Banana Shipment
UK Fuel Prices Poised for Further Surge Amid Global Energy Pressures
Apple Subsidiary Penalized by UK Authorities for Breach of Moscow Sanctions
Western Allies Intensify Coordinated Sanctions Strategy Against Russia
UK Lawmakers Face Criticism Over Renewed Push for Social Media Restrictions
Starmer Signals UK Crackdown on Addictive Social Media Features
Rising Costs Push One in Five UK Hospitality Businesses to the Brink of Closure
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Car Strikes Pedestrians in UK, Injuring Seven
Escalating Conflict Involving Iran Tightens Fiscal Pressures and Highlights UK Economic Vulnerabilities
UK Moves to Confront Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operating in Its Waters
UK Housing Divide Deepens as Older Owners Hold Wealth While Under-30s Face Mounting Barriers
London Demonstration Calls on UK to Recognize Iranian Opposition’s Provisional Government
UK Green Party Vote on ‘Zionism is Racism’ Motion Collapses Amid Internal Disputes and Technical Failures
SNL UK Ignites Debate with Sharp Royal Satire Targeting Prince Andrew and Prince William
EU Proposes ‘Emergency Brake’ to Resolve Deadlock in UK Youth Mobility Talks
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
×