Turkey has arrested three British teenagers in the city of Istanbul before they crossed the border into neighboring Syria to join ISIL terrorists.
The three from northwest London, who have not been named, were seized after a tipoff from British counterterrorism police and have since been flown back to London and arrested.
Scotland Yard said counterterrorism officers were told on Friday that two 17-year-old boys had gone missing and were believed to be traveling to Syria.
A spokesman said, “Inquiries revealed that they had travelled with a third male, aged 19 years. Officers alerted the Turkish authorities who were able to intercept all three males, preventing travel to Syria.”
“On Saturday, 14 March the three males returned to the UK and at approx 23:10hrs were arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.”
All three are now being held in a central London police station, the Telegraph reported.
At least 600 Britons are estimated to have slipped into Syria to wage war against the government there since 2011.
Turkey has been accused of failing to control its 560-mile long border with Syria and allowing terrorists easy passage. Ankara has in turn complained that European police forces have been slow to share information on extremists traveling through the country.
GHN/GHN
No comments:
Post a Comment