Call for the public to "ACT Early" following arrest of 14-year-old boy for terrorism offence

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested as part of an investigation by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

The boy was arrested on Wednesday 22 May at an address in west London and was arrested on suspicion of possessing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command said: “This arrest is indicative of a continuing and concerning trend of young people being drawn into and involved in terrorist-related activity. Around a fifth of all those arrested for terrorism offences last year were aged under 18. That is why it is so important for parents, friends and family to be looking out for any warning signs that a child might be getting drawn into extremism or terrorism and to ACT Early, by contacting us for advice and support before it is too late.”

Anyone with concerns about somebody who may be vulnerable to radicalisation can visit the ACT Early website www.actearly.uk where there is advice, guidance and support available. This includes information on the warning signs to look out for, as well as tips about what to do and what not to do if you think somebody may be being radicalised.

You can also call the ACT Early Support Line between 9am and 5pm daily on 0800 011 3764, in confidence, to share your concerns with our specially trained officers.

The 14-year-old boy was taken to a west London police station and was later released on bail to a date in early August pending further enquiries. The investigation is related to extreme right-wing terrorist material.

As part of the investigation, officers also carried out a search at an address in west London and enquiries remain ongoing.