A woman who allegedly planned to travel to Syria with her four children has refused to stand before a judge during her appearance in court on child abduction charges.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was detained in Turkey on Tuesday after the family went missing from their home in north-east London last week.
Appearing at Camberwell Green magistrates court in south London on Saturday, the woman indicated she would plead not guilty after refusing to stand in the dock before the district judge Susan Green.
The defendant told the judge: “I’m sorry, it’s part of my religion, so I would prefer to sit down.”
Judge Green responded: “I’m not going to argue. Get on with the case.”
The woman’s father broke down in tears in the public gallery as his daughter was remanded in custody to appear at Southwark crown court on 21 September.
She was originally detained in Turkey on Tuesday, and questioned by counter-terrorism officers on her return to Britain at Luton airport on Thursday night.
The family were believed to have flown from London City airport to Amsterdam on 25 August. All of the children were said to be safe and well when the family was detained by Turkish authorities.
A private hearing was held in the family division of the high court on Friday about the long-term futures of the children.
Mr Justice Cobb said detail of proceedings could not be reported but he said the children were together and had been taken into foster care for the “time being”.
