"Terrorism breeds in squalid corners of the internet where poisonous ideologies, of whatever sort, meet volatile, often chaotic individual lives. The online environment can blur motive, too. Some situations are clear-cut. But it's often messier. In 2025, it can be hard to tell in the immediate aftermath of an appalling violent crime whether the incident is terrorist or state-directed, and thus a national security matter, or non-ideological, driven by a unique personal grievance, fixation or mental disturbance. We are particularly conscious of these complexities when it comes to vulnerable young people."
"Sadly, we continue to see a concerning number of minors in our national security investigations: one in five of the 232 terrorism arrests last year were of children under 17. This needs fresh thinking."
"If a vulnerable young person on a pathway towards extremist violence can receive the right support, such that expensive and scarce MI5 capabilities are not needed and fewer children feature in national security prosecutions, that's good for everyone involved."
Children under 17 comprised one fifth of the 232 terrorism arrests in 2024. Terrorism is cultivated in hidden online spaces where extremist ideologies intersect with volatile, often chaotic individual lives, and the online environment can blur motive. Distinguishing terrorist or state-directed attacks from non-ideological acts driven by personal grievance, fixation or mental disturbance can be difficult in the immediate aftermath. MI5 has created an Interventions Centre of Expertise within the Counter Terrorism Operations Centre, involving other agencies and public services, to manage adolescents with complex needs and provide support that reduces reliance on scarce national security capabilities.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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