Three Syria-bound British teenagers freed on bail
THREE British teenagers who were stopped from travelling to Syria from Turkey have been arrested and released on bail.
Two 17-year-old boys, from north-west London and a man aged 19 were arrested on Saturday night after returning to the UK, Metropolitan Police said.
They were arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts and have been bailed pending further inquiries.
On Friday couter-terror police were made aware that the two boys had gone missing and were believed to be travelling to Syria.
Inquiries revealed they had travelled with a third person, the 19-year-old man.
A Met police spokesman said: "Officers alerted the Turkish authorities who were able to intercept all three males, preventing travel to Syria.
"On Saturday, March 14 the three males returned to the UK and at approximately 11.10pm were arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts contrary to section five of the Terrorism Act 2006.
On Saturday, March 14 the three males returned to the UK and at approximately 11.10pm were arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts contrary to section five of the Terrorism Act 2006
"They have been bailed to return to a central London police station pending further enquiries."
The trio are reported to have travelled to Spain before taking a flight to Turkey - a route taken by Hayat Boumedienne, the widow of one of the terrorists who carried out the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris in January - though the Foreign Office could not confirm this.
It comes just weeks after an international manhunt was launched to find three London schoolgirls who travelled to Istanbul on their journey to Syria.
However, Shamima Begum, 15, Amira Abase, also 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, who are pupils at Bethnal Green Academy, are now feared to have reached Syria to become so-called "jihadi brides" with Islamic State.
The families of the three girls yesterday released a statement appealing for them to come home immediately.
Saying they felt their loss "more acutely" on Mother's Day, the families also criticised authorities, saying: "With respect to the disappearance of our children we have been disappointed by the handling of this matter by the school, Met Police and the local authority, all of whom we feel failed to act appropriately and pass on vital information to us or indeed between each other."
Around 600 Britons are believed to have travelled to Syria and Iraq since the conflict began, according to Scotland Yard assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, the national policing lead for counter-terrorism.
Speaking last month, Mr Rowley said that around half are believed to have returned to the UK.
