14-year-old boy charged with Islamist terror plot in UK

London, June 18

A 14-year-old boy from the southern England region of Hampshire has been charged with plotting an Islamist terror attack and produced before Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Thursday.

The teenager, who cannot be named being a minor, has been charged with one count of preparation of terrorist acts contrary to Section 5(1)(a) of the UK’s Terrorism Act 2006 connected to Islamist terrorism, the UK’s Counter-Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) said.

The boy was initially arrested by officers from Hampshire Constabulary on Friday, 12 June and subsequently further arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act, by detectives from CTPSE,” the CTPSE statement said.

“We know that the community of Eastleigh might be concerned about this news, however Hampshire Constabulary have been working closely with colleagues in Counter Terrorism Policing South East on this investigation and we want to reassure you that we believe the investigation is isolated, and with no known wider risk to the community,” the statement said.

The counter-terrorism unit called on the public to have the confidence to report anything suspicious, such as unusual behaviour in a particular place or at a particular time of day, because it may be linked to terrorist activity. — PTI