Boy, 14, charged over alleged mosque attack plot

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with a terrorism offence over an alleged plan linked to extreme right-wing ideology to target two mosques in south London, the Metropolitan Police said.

The boy, who has not been named, was first arrested on July 9 at an address in south London on suspicion of criminal damage to a vehicle. During the investigation, officers found “a number of documents of concern,” police said, leading to a terrorism charge.

He is accused of planning to target two places of worship in Sutton. Police said he has been charged with preparation of terrorist acts on or before July 9 and racially aggravated damage to property. Al Jazeera reported that police described the charge as “conduct in preparation for giving effect to an intention to conduct acts of terrorism.”

The teenager has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, called it “a very serious terrorism charge against a young boy” and said the case would 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,” Flanagan said.

Police said they had contacted the mosques involved and offered advice and support. The Metropolitan Police said officers had increased patrols in affected areas and were working closely with counterterrorism teams on the investigation.

Authorities said they do not believe there is “any enduring or wider threat” and are not seeking anyone else in connection with the incidents.

Flanagan said counterterrorism police were seeing an increasing number of children and young people in their casework.

Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn, who leads local policing in south London, said the charges came “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,” according to the BBC.

Al Jazeera also reported that British police this week arrested 12 people in connection with an “extreme right-wing” plot to target an Islamic gathering in Suffolk, in eastern England. The outlet reported that last month a man was charged with attempted murder linked to “terrorism” after a suspected anti-Muslim stabbing rampage in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Blackburn said authorities would continue efforts to reassure local residents.

“We should not underestimate the cumulative impact of incidents of this nature on the Muslim community,” he said.