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| The race to stop Britain's youngest terrorist days before Anzac attack | The race to stop Britain's youngest terrorist days before Anzac attack |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A British teenager will serve at least five years in custody after admitting a plot to massacre veterans at an Anzac Day parade in Australia in an attack inspired by the so-called Islamic State (IS). | A British teenager will serve at least five years in custody after admitting a plot to massacre veterans at an Anzac Day parade in Australia in an attack inspired by the so-called Islamic State (IS). |
| When police arrested a 14-year-old boy in April for threatening to behead his teachers, they could not possibly have suspected they would soon be trying to foil a terrorist plot on the other side of the world. | When police arrested a 14-year-old boy in April for threatening to behead his teachers, they could not possibly have suspected they would soon be trying to foil a terrorist plot on the other side of the world. |
| The boy, now 15, who cannot be identified because of his age, was "the director" of a deadly plan. His directions were sent from his darkened bedroom in the early hours of the morning, as his mother slept unaware in a nearby room. | The boy, now 15, who cannot be identified because of his age, was "the director" of a deadly plan. His directions were sent from his darkened bedroom in the early hours of the morning, as his mother slept unaware in a nearby room. |
| The teenager - now Britain's youngest convicted terrorist - comes from a "normal" family in Blackburn, Lancashire, and had a "typical relationship" with his mother who would drive him to any appointments. | |
| But the picture that emerged when police searched his bedroom was far from normal. On the windowsill they found a wooden box labelled "Islamic State" in the way a teenager might carve out the name of a pop idol. | But the picture that emerged when police searched his bedroom was far from normal. On the windowsill they found a wooden box labelled "Islamic State" in the way a teenager might carve out the name of a pop idol. |
| Detectives also discovered a mobile phone, hidden under his mattress. It contained "significant extremist content", including an IS fighter screensaver. | Detectives also discovered a mobile phone, hidden under his mattress. It contained "significant extremist content", including an IS fighter screensaver. |
| Keyboard warrior | Keyboard warrior |
| The boy had searched on the internet for martyrdom operations, explosives and local landmarks including Blackburn Cathedral, the Thwaites building and BAE systems. | The boy had searched on the internet for martyrdom operations, explosives and local landmarks including Blackburn Cathedral, the Thwaites building and BAE systems. |
| But it was what detectives found within encrypted messages that revealed Australia was just days away from experiencing a violent terrorist attack orchestrated by the schoolboy. | But it was what detectives found within encrypted messages that revealed Australia was just days away from experiencing a violent terrorist attack orchestrated by the schoolboy. |
| A conversation between the boy and an older teenager in Melbourne, Sevdet Besim, was hidden within the social media application, Telegram. | A conversation between the boy and an older teenager in Melbourne, Sevdet Besim, was hidden within the social media application, Telegram. |
| Police lacked the technology to decode the messages and so an officer at the North West Counter Terror Unit developed "a bespoke software package" to decrypt the dialogue. | Police lacked the technology to decode the messages and so an officer at the North West Counter Terror Unit developed "a bespoke software package" to decrypt the dialogue. |
| Message by message the boy's murderous intentions were unveiled. The race to prevent the bloodshed became apparent. | Message by message the boy's murderous intentions were unveiled. The race to prevent the bloodshed became apparent. |
| Police contacted the Australian authorities "immediately". | Police contacted the Australian authorities "immediately". |
| "We can get in touch with international partners at the touch of a button," said Det Ch Supt Tony Mole. | "We can get in touch with international partners at the touch of a button," said Det Ch Supt Tony Mole. |
| "Before we'd even read it all, we quickly worked out something sinister was going on and we started almost drip-feeding the Aussies by email." | "Before we'd even read it all, we quickly worked out something sinister was going on and we started almost drip-feeding the Aussies by email." |
| During the many hours he spent in his room, the boy had adopted the persona of a much older person to pull the strings of his puppet, 18-year-old Sevdet Besim. | During the many hours he spent in his room, the boy had adopted the persona of a much older person to pull the strings of his puppet, 18-year-old Sevdet Besim. |
| Besim was a friend of Abdul Numan Haider, 18, who was shot dead after stabbing police officers at a Melbourne police station in 2014. | Besim was a friend of Abdul Numan Haider, 18, who was shot dead after stabbing police officers at a Melbourne police station in 2014. |
| 'First taste of beheading' | 'First taste of beheading' |
| Between 16 and 25 March more than 3,000 messages were exchanged between the boy and Besim. | Between 16 and 25 March more than 3,000 messages were exchanged between the boy and Besim. |
| The boy maintained he had planned other operations and Besim had no idea he was taking instruction from a youngster holed up in his bedroom in Blackburn. | The boy maintained he had planned other operations and Besim had no idea he was taking instruction from a youngster holed up in his bedroom in Blackburn. |
| The first message came from Besim, announcing "I'm the brother from Australia." | The first message came from Besim, announcing "I'm the brother from Australia." |
| The boy, comfortable in his role as "director", haughtily responded by testing Besim. He asked him to prove his credibility and used sophisticated extremist language. | The boy, comfortable in his role as "director", haughtily responded by testing Besim. He asked him to prove his credibility and used sophisticated extremist language. |
| Once the boy was satisfied Besim held allegiance to the head of IS, the plan to attack began to formulate. | Once the boy was satisfied Besim held allegiance to the head of IS, the plan to attack began to formulate. |
| Besim suggested Anzac Day, held annually on 25 April. The boy responded: "Make sure the dogs remember this as well as fallen heroes." | Besim suggested Anzac Day, held annually on 25 April. The boy responded: "Make sure the dogs remember this as well as fallen heroes." |
| He warned Besim of the difficulty of beheading a person. | He warned Besim of the difficulty of beheading a person. |
| "I suggest you break into someone's house and get your first taste of beheading," the boy urged. | "I suggest you break into someone's house and get your first taste of beheading," the boy urged. |
| But Besim concluded this was "too risky". | But Besim concluded this was "too risky". |
| Detectives said the pair settled on a plan to "run over a cop, behead, get the gun and use the spoils of war to have a gunfight". | Detectives said the pair settled on a plan to "run over a cop, behead, get the gun and use the spoils of war to have a gunfight". |
| Besim told the boy he had been out in public, concealing a 15-inch (38cm) knife and "no-one realised a thing". | Besim told the boy he had been out in public, concealing a 15-inch (38cm) knife and "no-one realised a thing". |
| He sent a photo of the weapon. | He sent a photo of the weapon. |
| A congratulatory response came from the boy: "Mashallah", which means " God has willed it", and he added a chilling: "Perfect for tearing through someone's throat". | A congratulatory response came from the boy: "Mashallah", which means " God has willed it", and he added a chilling: "Perfect for tearing through someone's throat". |
| Martyrdom note | Martyrdom note |
| Police in Melbourne responded rapidly to the UK's warnings and Besim was arrested during dawn raids on 18 April. | Police in Melbourne responded rapidly to the UK's warnings and Besim was arrested during dawn raids on 18 April. |
| Detectives found the knife concealed under the seat of his car. They also recovered his mobile phone, on which he had "actively" been working on his martyrdom note. | Detectives found the knife concealed under the seat of his car. They also recovered his mobile phone, on which he had "actively" been working on his martyrdom note. |
| Det Ch Supt Mole said: "I would suggest once you've done your martyrdom speech or whatever you're going to leave... and you've got the car, and the knife is in the car - it could have been any time. | Det Ch Supt Mole said: "I would suggest once you've done your martyrdom speech or whatever you're going to leave... and you've got the car, and the knife is in the car - it could have been any time. |
| "The plan was the Anzac parade. What I can't say is whether he was going to go earlier, because it was a fairly simple plot." | "The plan was the Anzac parade. What I can't say is whether he was going to go earlier, because it was a fairly simple plot." |
| Besim was charged with preparation of a terrorism attack in Australia and is due in court in December. In Blackburn, the boy, who was on bail, was rearrested and charged with inciting terrorism. | Besim was charged with preparation of a terrorism attack in Australia and is due in court in December. In Blackburn, the boy, who was on bail, was rearrested and charged with inciting terrorism. |
| Home Office statistics show in 2014 there were 289 terrorism-related offences in the UK, 46 of those involved 16-18 year olds and 10 involved under 18s, which was a rise of 67%. | Home Office statistics show in 2014 there were 289 terrorism-related offences in the UK, 46 of those involved 16-18 year olds and 10 involved under 18s, which was a rise of 67%. |
| Prof Eric Grove, security studies expert at Liverpool Hope University, said the boy's age reflected a "disturbing" propensity for extremists to recruit children. | Prof Eric Grove, security studies expert at Liverpool Hope University, said the boy's age reflected a "disturbing" propensity for extremists to recruit children. |
| "Younger people are very impressionable. There has been a tendency in Africa to use child soldiers, and Boko Haram use young girls as suicide bombers. Young British Muslims are a vulnerable target for IS." | "Younger people are very impressionable. There has been a tendency in Africa to use child soldiers, and Boko Haram use young girls as suicide bombers. Young British Muslims are a vulnerable target for IS." |
| During the 12 months before his arrest, the boy displayed "concerning behaviour", saying at school he supported Osama Bin Laden and wanted to become a jihadist. | During the 12 months before his arrest, the boy displayed "concerning behaviour", saying at school he supported Osama Bin Laden and wanted to become a jihadist. |
| This led to intervention from the Channel Programme, designed to protect vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism. | This led to intervention from the Channel Programme, designed to protect vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism. |
| 'Heady cocktail' | 'Heady cocktail' |
| While the boy appeared to engage initially, perhaps another example of his devious character, his behaviour deteriorated. | While the boy appeared to engage initially, perhaps another example of his devious character, his behaviour deteriorated. |
| He began threatening his teachers with violence and was overt in his fascination with beheading, selecting half a dozen potential victims and making a list ranking them in order, leading to the police becoming involved. | He began threatening his teachers with violence and was overt in his fascination with beheading, selecting half a dozen potential victims and making a list ranking them in order, leading to the police becoming involved. |
| So what was it that caused this boy to become radicalised? | So what was it that caused this boy to become radicalised? |
| Jim Bonworth, counter terrorism expert at University of Central Lancashire, believes there are a number of reasons people like the teenager take this path. | Jim Bonworth, counter terrorism expert at University of Central Lancashire, believes there are a number of reasons people like the teenager take this path. |
| "He would have that sense of empowerment that he was able to make a difference in some way, even if he couldn't do it himself because he was too young and his bus pass had run out," Mr Bonworth said. | "He would have that sense of empowerment that he was able to make a difference in some way, even if he couldn't do it himself because he was too young and his bus pass had run out," Mr Bonworth said. |
| "Push factors [leading to radicalisation] are things like discrimination and injustice. Pull factors are glamour, sensation seeking, this sense of danger and purpose. It's so attractive, it's a heady cocktail. | "Push factors [leading to radicalisation] are things like discrimination and injustice. Pull factors are glamour, sensation seeking, this sense of danger and purpose. It's so attractive, it's a heady cocktail. |
| "I'm surprised more young people don't come across that. I'm sure they do, but we don't hear about it." | "I'm surprised more young people don't come across that. I'm sure they do, but we don't hear about it." |