Terror arrests: Police hold East London schoolboy

Pic: Metropolitan Police

A 15-year-old East London schoolboy was among five teenagers arrested by anti-terror police on Monday, February 20, on suspicion of planning to flee Britain to fight for Islamic State.

In a joint operation early on Monday, two of the boys, aged 16 and 17, were held at separate addresses in south London, while two others, aged 17 and 19, were arrested at an address in west London.

The youngest of them, a 15-year-old schoolboy, was arrested later that evening at an address in east London. Another property was searched in Lambeth in connection with the operation.

The Metropolitan Police’s counter terror detectives are investigating the youths’ alleged plans to travel to the jihadist group after communicating with each other online. They are inspecting exactly how the teenagers came into contact. Police said the arrests follow searches at four residential addresses on Tuesday, February 14. 

Detectives are thought to have found several phones and computers during those raids.

The Met said the five, who were arrested on suspicion of “the preparation of terrorist acts”, are now being held and questioned at a central London police station.

Officers have been given until Monday, February 27, to question the four teenagers aged 16, 17, 17 and 19, and until Friday, February 24, to question the 15-year-old.

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