A 20-year-old woman has been arrested in south London as part of an ongoing counter-terrorism investigation into suspected online activity linked to the extremist group Daesh.
Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London detained the woman at a residential address in Lambeth on Tuesday, 13 January. A search of the property was also carried out as part of the operation.
Police said the arrest was made under Section 12(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000, on suspicion of encouraging others to support Daesh, which is a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK. Following questioning, the woman was released on bail and is due to return to police in April while enquiries continue.
Counter-terrorism officers stressed that investigations into online radicalisation remain a key priority, particularly where social media is suspected to have been used to promote or glorify extremist causes.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: "We have been clear for some time that anyone in the UK sharing or promoting terrorist-related material online will be investigated.
"This case also reflects the trend we are seeing of more and more children and young adults being arrested as part of counter terrorism investigations. This is a real concern, but friends and families can play a part by looking out for loved ones if they’re worried about someone. If you have any concerns about somebody who might be starting on a path towards radicalisation, then I’d urge you to visit our ACT Early website and get in touch before it may be too late.”
Authorities continue to urge the public to report concerns about individuals who may be vulnerable to radicalisation. Anyone worried about a friend or family member can seek confidential advice through the ACT Early initiative at actearly.uk or by calling the ACT Early Support Line on 0800 011 3764, where specially trained officers are available to help.
Photo by thierry ehrmann from Saint Romain au Mont d'Or, France, Europe, Wikimedia commons.