A British-German woman who is accused of marrying an ISIS fighter in Syria is now living in a canal boat in the UK and claiming government benefits, she says.
Natalie Bracht, 45, who is a mother to nine children, rejected reports that she headed up an all-female ISIS brigade in Syria and was the second wife of Celso Rodrigues Da Costa, a Portuguese convert who travelled to Syria to fight for ISIS.
She was living in Germany when Covid-19 reached Europe but she arrived in the UK on April 3. Upon landing she was questioned under the UK terrorism act and denied having been in Syria.
Ms Bracht said she was asked about Brexit, elections and vaccines but also where she had stayed in Syria.
"It has affected my family. I've been treated like a terror suspect. It looks like I have to have a new identity and the stories must be put straight," she told The Sunday People.
“It’s not for me. I can live with this. I have accepted I am a full-time terror suspect without conviction. It either breaks you or makes you stronger. In my case it has made me stronger,” Ms Bracht added.
The newspaper said that Ms Bracht claimed to have volunteered as a translator in 2012 for the controversial advocacy group Cage, which says it supports victims of the war on terror.
“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,” she said.
Cage said volunteering claims were untrue. "We would like to clarify that our records show she has never volunteered for us," a representative from the group told The National.
Ms Bracht also said she sympathised with Shamima Begum, the ISIS supporter who is languishing in a Kurdish-run camp after her British citizenship was withdrawn last year.
“This girl was brainwashed on the internet, the intelligence services didn’t prevent her from leaving the country,” Ms Bracht said.
“She was only 15 years old – this should be dealt with by child protection.”
The British government is going to the UK Supreme Court to challenge Ms Begum’s return to mount a legal battle aimed at restoring her British citizenship, which was revoked on national security grounds.
Reports from 2008 suggested that Ms Bracht had a history of mental health problems
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
