POLICE have "completely rejected" claims they were "complicit in the grooming and radicalising" of three Bradford sisters who are feared to have travelled to Syria with their nine children.

Khadija Dawood, 30, Sugra Dawood, 34, and Zohra Dawood, 33, and their children, aged between three and 15, are feared to have travelled to link up with terror group Islamic State in the country.

Today, police issued a strong rebuttal to a letter sent to the chair of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz, by solicitors acting on behalf of two of the youngsters' fathers, Akhtar Iqbal and Mohammed Shoaib.

The letter from Bradford-based Khan Solicitors says their clients are "extremely disappointed with the manner in which this matter is being investigated by West Yorkshire Police and have expressed grave concerns in the conduct of the police leading to these events.

Referring to a brother of the Dawood sisters, who is believed to have joined Islamic State, the letter said: "Indeed, we are alarmed by the fact that the police have been actively promoting and encouraging contact with the brother-in-law of our client whom, it is believed, is fighting in Syria.

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"It would appear that there has been a reckless disregard as to the consequences of any such contact on the families of those whom we represent."

The sisters made national headlines last week when it was revealed that, along with their nine children, they had failed to return from a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, and were feared to have been trying to travel to Syria to join Islamic State.

The letter, posted by Mr Vaz on his website, blames police for "promoting and encouraging contact" with Ahmed and calls for a full investigation of how police handled the matter.

It also reveals that a press conference held by the husbands of two of the women last week was arranged due to the men being unsatisfied with the information they were being given by police.

The letter says: "By allowing this contact they have been complicit in the grooming and radicalisation of these women.

"If this contact between them had been prevented our clients would not be facing such circumstances. Clearly these facts are disturbing to say the least."

It goes on to say that Zohra Dawoon, one of the three sisters who had left a message with the family after their disappearance, said the family had travelled there because of the "oppressive nature of the continued surveillance by the police."

Russ Foster, Assistant Chief Constable for West Yorkshire, responded to the allegations in the letter by saying: "We have not seen the letter so cannot comment in detail on its contents. However, we completely reject accusations that the police were complicit in the alleged grooming of the missing family or that we were oppressive to them.

"While we do not comment on all aspects of police work for valid operational and safeguarding reasons, this is an ongoing investigation and we are continuing to do everything we can to find the missing family and to ensure the safety of the children.

"Their relatives have been kept informed throughout this investigation and we are pleased they expressed their satisfaction with the support they have received so far. This will continue."