Teenager arrested on suspicion of terror offences in North London

A 17-year old boy has been arrested on suspicion of terror offences, the Metropolitan Police said.

The boy was arrested at a residential address in north London on Thursday, the force said.

He was arrested on suspicion of disseminating terrorist publications, arranging availability of money or other property for the purposes of terrorism, and possessing a document likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Officers took the teenager to a south London police station, and he was later released on bail to a date in February 2024 pending further enquiries.

The Met police said that the investigation relates to Islamist terrorism, but is not linked to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

In a statement the force warned Londoners to be “vigilant” over the festive season.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “This is another case where a teenager has been arrested on suspicion of what are serious terrorism offences, and we remain very concerned about the increasing numbers of young people we’re seeing feature in our investigations.

“We have officers working around the clock to counter the threat from terrorism, but the public can also play a big part as well.

“I would urge all Londoners – particularly as we now enter the festive season – to be vigilant when they are out and about in the capital over the coming days and weeks.

“Please report anything that doesn’t look or feel right to us. Your call won’t ruin any lives, but it could help to save them.”