A 14-year-old boy is set to appear in court charged with plotting terrorist attacks on two mosques in south London. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested at a home in south London on Thursday.
Arrest and Investigation
Officers initially arrested the boy on suspicion of criminal damage to a vehicle in Sutton the previous week. However, a subsequent search of the address uncovered 'documents of concern,' according to the Metropolitan Police. He was further arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts linked to extreme right-wing terrorism.
The mosques affected have been contacted by police and are being supported by specialist officers. Police have also been in contact with the victim regarding the damaged vehicle. Authorities have stated there is no enduring or wider threat related to this matter, and they are not seeking any other individuals.
Official Statements
Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of CTP London, said: 'This is a very serious terrorism charge against a young boy and likely to be highly concerning to the public and the local community. We know this will be particularly concerning to the Muslim community and we are working closely with the venues affected to ensure they are kept updated and to provide advice, support and reassurance, and this will continue.'
DCS Nick Blackburn, in charge of local policing for the south London area, added: 'We acknowledge that this will be concerning for the local Muslim community and have been working together with our local partners to provide reassurance and support. We should not underestimate the cumulative impact of incidents of this nature on the Muslim community. These charges come just days after 12 people were arrested for a suspected threat to an Islamic festival in Suffolk and a man was arrested for an alleged assault outside a mosque in Leyton.'
Court Appearance and Broader Context
The boy has been remanded in custody and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday. Commander Flanagan commented on the age of the suspect: 'While it is deeply concerning to see someone so young charged with offences of this nature, we are sadly seeing an increasing number of children and young people in our casework. We continue to work with partners across policing, education, local authorities and safeguarding agencies to help prevent young people becoming involved in extremist ideologies and criminality. However, parents, carers, teachers and others who work with young people also have an important role to play.'
