UK’S youngest terrorist wants his identity to be kept secret

THE boy who became Britain’s youngest terrorist after being convicted at the age of 15 has argued that he should receive lifetime anonymity as he faces a “risk of violent attack”.

The boy, now 18, was convicted three years ago for instructing an alleged jihadist to kill a police officer in Australia.

Edward Fitzgerald QC asked the High Court in London to grant an injunction that would prevent the teenager from being identified – a rare step only taken in a small number of cases. A number of media organisations have made representations to the court arguing that he should be named.

Mr Fitzgerald told the court there had been “persistent and serious” threats made online to harm or kill the teenager and there was a “significant risk of attacks or retaliation against him” if his identity were made public.

He would be at risk of “re-radicalisation” by extremists and his relatives would be likely to face reprisals were he named, the court heard.

The teenager, from Blackburn, Lancashire, was found guilty at Manchester Crown Court of inciting terrorism in October 2015.

The court heard how he hatched the plot when he was only 14 after being recruited on Twitter by Abu Khaled alcambodi, an Islamic State group propagandist.

From his bedroom the boy used a smartphone app to send encrypted phone messages persuading 18-yearold Sevdet Besim to commit mass murder thousands of miles away.

In 2016 Besim was sentenced to 10 years in jail for the plot that was set to take place on Anzac Day.