Three British teenagers have been stopped in Turkey on suspicion of attempting to travel to Syria to join Islamic State after police were tipped off by some of their parents.
Two 17-year-old boys and a 19-year-old man from north-west London were intercepted in Istanbul at the weekend and returned to England, where they were questioned by counter-terrorism officials and released on bail.According to The Times, it was "quick action" by the parents of the younger boys that thwarted their alleged attempt to join the terrorist group. The parents contacted police after the two boys failed to return home after Friday prayers.The three teenagers were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 and are due to return to a central London police station in early May "pending further enquiries".A Turkish official told the BBC that the trio had flown to Istanbul from Barcelona, in Spain, and were stopped in Sabiha Gokcen airport by Turkish authorities acting on British intelligence. "This is a good and a clear example of how the security co-operation between Western intelligence agencies and Turkey should work," the official said.More than 500 Britons are thought to have travelled to join IS, while 100 Western volunteers are estimated to be fighting alongside Kurdish forces against the militant group, says the BBC.It comes after the Metropolitan Police told a parliamentary committee last week that three missing schoolgirls, suspected to have joined IS in Raqqa, would not be treated as criminals if they returned home.Meanwhile, The Sunday Times claims that an alleged Syrian double agent has provided western intelligence agencies with the details of as many as 140 Britons who have joined IS, including a British militant who has been luring "scores" of fellow Brits to become fighters or jihadist brides.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Today's political cartoons - September 8, 2024Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - circuitous thoughts, overheating circuits, and more
-
Chicken with Steph's spiceThe Week Recommends This Caribbean-inspired recipe is mouthwateringly delicious
-
A peaceful seaside village in TurkeyThe Week Recommends Çıralı has been spared the 'scourge' of all-inclusive resort development
-
Iran and Israel: is all-out war inevitable?Talking Points Tehran has vowed revenge for assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, but Gaza ceasefire could offer way out
-
How Russia trains its deep undercover spiesThe Explainer Moscow's elite 'illegal' sleeper agents pose as foreigners and live under false identities known as 'legends', often for decades
-
Are Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets too little too late?Today's Big Question US-made aircraft are 'significant improvement' on Soviet-era weaponry but long delay and lack of trained pilots could undo advantage against Russia
-
Hamas and Hezbollah strikes: what does it mean for Israel?Today's Big Question Iran vows revenge for death of Hamas political leader in Tehran, hours after Israeli strike kills top Hezbollah member in Beirut
-
Iran at the nuclear crossroadsThe Explainer Officials 'openly threatening' to build nuclear bomb, as watchdog finds large increase in enriched uranium stockpile
-
How would we know if World War Three had started?Today's Big Question With conflicts in Ukraine, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, the 'spark' that could ignite all-out war 'already exists'
-
The issue of women and conscriptionUnder the radar Ukraine military adviser hints at widening draft to women, as other countries weigh defence options amid global insecurity
-
Why is Islamic State targeting Russia?Today's Big Question Islamist terror group's attack on 'soft target' in Moscow was driven in part by 'opportunity and personnel'
