Children flagged up in terror scheme

Thousands of children and teens have been flagged up to the Government’s antiterror programme. Home Office analysis of Prevent reveals 2,127 of those referred to the scheme in 2015/16 were under 15.

THOUSANDS OF children and teenagers have been flagged up to the Government’s anti-terror programme, official figures show.

The first detailed Home Office analysis of Prevent reveals that 2,127 of those referred to the scheme in 2015/16 were under 15, including more than 500 girls.

In one case a nine-year-old boy from west London was helped by the programme after standing up in class at school and declaring that he supported Islamic State. He had found and watched IS execution videos online.

Another 2,147 individuals reported for potential intervention over extremism concerns were aged between 15 and 20, meaning more than half of the 7,631 people referred in the 12 months to March 2016 were aged 20 or under.

Prevent aims to reduce the threat to the UK by stopping people being drawn into terrorism.

It has an annual budget of around £40m and forms part of the Government’s overarching counter-terror strategy known as Contest, which was drawn up in 2003.

Anyone who is concerned about a person they think may be at risk of radicalisation can refer them to Prevent, but only a very small percentage of referrals are ultimately deemed to require intervention in the anti-extremism sphere. When authorities conclude there is a risk the person could be drawn into terrorism, they can be supported through a scheme known as Channel. Engagement with Channel is voluntary and it is not a criminal sanction.

Security Minister Ben Wallace said Channel “has seen real results in helping divert people away from terrorism and violence”, adding: “The programme is helping to save lives and keep us safe.”

Prevent is aimed at all forms of extremism. Almost 5,000, or just under two thirds, of referrals in 2015/16 related to concerns about Islamist extremism while 759 (10 per cent) were linked to rightwing extremism.

Of the 4,997 referred over Islamist extremism, three in ten were under 15, the data shows.

The largest proportion referred in relation to Islamist concerns were from London, at 28 per cent, while the highest percentage for right-wing extremism was the North East, at 21 per cent.

Simon Cole, the national policing lead for Prevent, said the Home Office figures show “trust and support is growing” but called for family members, friends and community leaders to come forward with concerns sooner.