A 14-year-old in London was indicted under suspicion of planning terror attacks on two mosques after police found “documents of concern” in his home, the Metropolitan Police announced on Wednesday.
Originally, the suspect was arrested for damaging a vehicle, but during a search police allegedly located plans to attack two mosques in the Sutton area, in South London.
The minor was charged with planning acts of “extreme right-wing terrorism,” and intentionally breaking a car window, an offense the police described as having been “racially aggravated.”
“This is a very serious terrorism charge against a young boy and likely to be highly concerning to the public and the local community,” Commander Helen Flanagan, head of the London Counter Terrorism Policing unit, stated.
“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.”
Flanagan also noted the increase in minors conducting criminal activities, and urged parents, teachers, and others with close connections to young children to be aware of when minors may be “vulnerable to radicalization.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn noted that the incident came only a few days after several other Islamophobic cases, including 12 people being arrested for allegedly threatening an Islamic festival, and a man arrested after an alleged assault outside a mosque.
“We should not underestimate the cumulative impact of incidents of this nature on the Muslim community,” Blackburn stated.
