Twice as many terror suspects are white as are Asian, figures show – and record number are children

Police are arresting twice as many white terror suspects as those of Asian ethnicity in Britain as the number of far-right investigations grow, new figures show.

A record number of those detained during the year to September were children, who now account for one in eight people arrested on suspicion of terror offences.

Teenagers have been charged with terror offences committed when they were as young as 13, amid warnings over a “new generation of extremists” being mobilised by online material.

Figures released by the Home Office on Thursday show that 25 under-18s were arrested, 17 suspects aged 18 to 20 and 16 aged 20 to 24.

In the same period, six children were charged with a terror-related offence and three were convicted.

The senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, said: “We are very concerned that children are becoming an increasing proportion of our arrests.

“But it doesn’t have to be this way. Ideally we would identify when a young person is being led down the path towards terrorism activity and use the Prevent programme to try and put them on a different path.”

A Home Office report said that due to a general fall in crime during the coronavirus pandemic, terror arrests had dropped for all age groups apart from children.

The number of white people arrested also rose in the year to 101 people – twice the number of Asian suspects (49) arrested.

“The proportion of white people arrested exceeded the proportion of Asian people arrested for the fourth consecutive year,” said the Home Office report.

“Arrests of persons of white ethnic appearance accounted for 54 per cent of arrests, up 10 percentage points on the previous year. Those of Asian ethnic appearance accounted for 26 per cent of terrorist-related arrests, down 12 percentage points.”

A record 82 per cent of suspects were British or dual citizens, a new record high following steady increases from just 33 per cent in 2002.

Jonathan Hall QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said the age and race figures were “consistent with increased targeting of young suspected right-wing terrorists operating online”.

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He said the year had seen a record number of non-custodial sentences for terrorism-related offences, suggesting youth was a factor taken into account by judges.

“The main principal offence charged is disseminating terrorist publications and my educated guess that this is taking place online,” Mr Hall wrote on Twitter.

MI5 took lead responsiblity for extreme right-wing terrorism from police last year, following a national restructure in response to far-right terror attacks and the banning of neo-Nazi groups including National Action.

Some critics believe the change caused a shift in focus that has artificially inflated the apparent far-right threat, but Mr Hall said: “I don't believe increased visibility of activity against right-wing terrorism is sign of a politically correct diversion from the main threat of Islamist terrorism. Counter-terror police and MI5 are ruthless in prioritisation.

“Online interactions do drive violent hostile ideologies, and some online discussions will involve discussions of targets and weapons, especially firearms.”

Mr Hall said the majority of terrorist murders in Britain had been committed by jihadists in recent years, but that the huge death toll of right-wing attacks in New Zealand, Norway and Germany showed that action must be taken against young people who voice violent intentions online.

Of the 188 people arrested in the year, almost half were still under investigation when the statistics were recorded, a third had been charged, a fifth were released without charge and 11 per cent faced alternative action.

As of 30 September, 71 per cent of the 218 people in prison for terrorism-connected offences in Britain were categorised as holding Islamist-extremist views, 22 per cent extreme right-wing and 7 per cent other.

Several children have been jailed over Islamist and neo-Nazi terror plots in the past, but the majority of youth defendants are charged for possessing documents that would be “useful to someone preparing an act of terrorism”.

The Independent previously interviewed the father of one boy prosecuted for the offence, who voiced his shock at his son’s arrest and charge.

The first the family knew of official concerns was the moment when the 16-year-old was stopped under terrorism laws at an airport, while on his way to a family funeral.

Tom* was later prosecuted for 11 terror offences, after the investigation found he had downloaded bomb manuals among a range of neo-Nazi texts.

The teenager denied adhering to a violent ideology or wanting to harm anyone, and avoided jail after admitting the charges.

His father, Steve*, said the family had “no idea” that possessing documents “useful to a terrorist” was illegal and that the offence should not be used to prosecute children who have not committed more serious crimes.

In September, the national coordinator for Prevent counter-extremism programme told The Independent the decision to prosecute young people or refer them for intervention sat with police investigators.

Chief Superintendent Nik Adams said there was no “cut-off point” for charges by age, but that it was factored into decision-making alongside other vulnerabilities.

“We want to help, we don’t want people to be prosecuted but it relies on people stepping forward early,” he added.

The security services have foiled seven “late-stage” terror plots since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced on Thursday, bringing the total since March 2017 to 32.

Eighteen were by jihadists, 12 by right-wing extremists, and two in a category encompassing all other ideologies.

Mr Haydon said: “The public will also be well aware of the fact that the UK has suffered two terror attacks in quick succession, with the national threat level raising to severe – meaning an attack is highly likely.

“As we approach the festive period, we need the public to help play their part in protecting the UK.

“That means trusting your instincts and contacting us if you see anything suspicious.”

*Names have been changed to protect anonymity, which is required by law because of the boy’s age