UK police arrest 14-year-old boy over Australia terror plot

The Greater Manchester Police have arrested a teenager from Blackburn in north England as part of an ongoing investigation into individuals involved in a potential terror attack in Australia.

The Greater Manchester Police have arrested a teenager from Blackburn in north England as part of an ongoing investigation into individuals involved in a potential terror attack in Australia.

After examining what the police called ‘a number of electronic devices’, the 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

The police uncovered communication between the teenager in Blackburn and a man in Australia. Information was subsequently passed to Australian authorities.

Reports said the Australian police arrested five men on Saturday. The Victoria Police and the Australian Federal Police said they "can confirm a link between the arrest of a 14-year-old boy in Blackburn, Lancashire, in the United Kingdom on Saturday with Operation Rising, a Joint Counter Terrorism Team operation."

Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Mole from the Manchester police said: “We have uncovered communication between an individual in the North West and a man in Australia to what we believe is a credible terrorist threat”.

He added: “We are continuing to work closely with the police in Australia and Lancashire and I want to reassure the public that we have not uncovered an imminent attack in the UK and there is no immediate threat towards the communities of Lancashire, the North West and the UK”.