Ken McCallum, Director General of MI5, warned of the growing threat of young terrorists (Image: PA)
Young people swept up by the “terrorist youth phenomenon” could be hit with new court orders limiting their use of the internet.
The Home Office on Tuesday confirmed the proposed measures could allow courts to impose restrictions on youngsters to prevent them being swept up into terrorism.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Nigel Farage reveals what was really said in meeting with Elon Musk
330 Comments
Pensioners blast Labour government over latest winter fuel payment snub
104 Comments
Kemir Starmer facing humiliation as his Chagos Islands surrender deal is unravels
40 Comments
Nigel Farage reveals how Elon Musk helped Trump win - and hasn't ruled out helping Reform
43 Comments
Sue Gray handed peerage as Keir Starmer sparks new cronyism row
152 Comments
Angela Rayner brutally exposed over WASPI as she breaks biggest promise yet
371 Comments
Keir Starmer does the least surprising thing ever - he's way past caring what voters think
103 Comments
Keir Starmer's dithering risks putting Britain on collision course with Donald Trump
59 Comments
'Day of shame!' WASPI women told they won't receive penny of compensation in new update
886 Comments
Lee Anderson's blistering three-word warning to Keir Starmer after Labour election delay
31 Comments
Nicola Sturgeon's deluded sister makes odd demand as SNP police investigation continues
Comments
Keir Starmer warned migration plan may fail because of this key reason
36 Comments
Young people radicalised online could face internet restrictions in terror crackdown
7 Comments
Keir Starmer will bankrupt UK - we badly need our own Elon Musk
522 Comments
Warning that children at greater risk than ever of being radicalised online
39 Comments
Labour slammed over 'reckless' failure to tackle threat posed by Chinese spies
26 Comments
ISIS fanatics in Syria should be stripped of British citizenship, Keir Starmer told
16 Comments
Keir Starmer 'could have ended the channel migrant crisis by now' with one simple move
535 Comments
Migrant smuggling gangs targeted as Germany strikes deal with UK
137 Comments
Keir Starmer's crusading clampdown is an obsession - he must stop this now
Comments
Nigel Farage reveals what was really said in meeting with Elon Musk
330 Comments
Pensioners blast Labour government over latest winter fuel payment snub
104 Comments
Kemir Starmer facing humiliation as his Chagos Islands surrender deal is unravels
40 Comments
Nigel Farage reveals how Elon Musk helped Trump win - and hasn't ruled out helping Reform
43 Comments
Sue Gray handed peerage as Keir Starmer sparks new cronyism row
152 Comments
Angela Rayner brutally exposed over WASPI as she breaks biggest promise yet
371 Comments
Keir Starmer does the least surprising thing ever - he's way past caring what voters think
103 Comments
Keir Starmer's dithering risks putting Britain on collision course with Donald Trump
59 Comments
'Day of shame!' WASPI women told they won't receive penny of compensation in new update
886 Comments
Lee Anderson's blistering three-word warning to Keir Starmer after Labour election delay
31 Comments
Nicola Sturgeon's deluded sister makes odd demand as SNP police investigation continues
Comments
Keir Starmer warned migration plan may fail because of this key reason
36 Comments
Young people radicalised online could face internet restrictions in terror crackdown
7 Comments
Keir Starmer will bankrupt UK - we badly need our own Elon Musk
522 Comments
Warning that children at greater risk than ever of being radicalised online
39 Comments
Labour slammed over 'reckless' failure to tackle threat posed by Chinese spies
26 Comments
ISIS fanatics in Syria should be stripped of British citizenship, Keir Starmer told
16 Comments
Keir Starmer 'could have ended the channel migrant crisis by now' with one simple move
535 Comments
Migrant smuggling gangs targeted as Germany strikes deal with UK
137 Comments
Keir Starmer's crusading clampdown is an obsession - he must stop this now
Comments
Nigel Farage reveals what was really said in meeting with Elon Musk
330 Comments
Pensioners blast Labour government over latest winter fuel payment snub
104 Comments
Kemir Starmer facing humiliation as his Chagos Islands surrender deal is unravels
40 Comments
Nigel Farage reveals how Elon Musk helped Trump win - and hasn't ruled out helping Reform
43 Comments
Sue Gray handed peerage as Keir Starmer sparks new cronyism row
152 Comments
Angela Rayner brutally exposed over WASPI as she breaks biggest promise yet
371 Comments
Keir Starmer does the least surprising thing ever - he's way past caring what voters think
103 Comments
Intelligence chiefs have warned too many young people are being radicalised online.
Some 13% of all people being investigated by MI5 over involvement in UK terrorism are under 18 years of age.
Terror law watchdog Jonathan Hall KC has also warned the profile of alleged terrorists is getting younger and "includes children who may accurately be described as vulnerable".
He said on Tuesday: “The terrorist youth phenomenon, driven by the internet, is a problem across the 5 Eyes community and, I have no doubt, is global. I hope other countries pioneer measures and that international comparisons can be made.”
The move comes after MI5 chief Ken McCallum issued a warning earlier this year about youths being drawn into "poisonous online extremism".
In the year ending September 2010 there were just three under-18s arrested for terror offences but in the 12 months to September 2024 there were 32.
Some 40% of all referrals to the Prevent programme - aimed at steering people away from terrorism - are for children aged 11-15.
Ms Cooper told MPs the new measures were needed to address a "growing proportion of young people who are featuring in anti-terrorism casework".
She said: "It is clear that while the UK has a robust counter-terrorism toolkit, including measures to prevent the escalation of terrorist risks, those tools are not currently well designed for intervention with young people.
"The Government therefore intends to introduce youth diversion orders - a new counter-terrorism risk management tool specifically designed for young people, building on recommendations from Jonathan Hall KC.
"Police will be able to apply to the courts for a youth diversion order, permitting them - in partnership with other agencies - to intervene earlier and to impose conditions such as engagement with Prevent interventions or restrictions on online activity.
"The courts must deem these conditions to be necessary and proportionate to mitigate terrorist risk."
Security Minister, Dan Jarvis said: "There has been a serious emerging trend of increased youth radicalisation across the country, with the proportion of MI5 investigations into under-18s surging threefold in the last three years.
"Our first duty will always be to keep the public safe, and the measures we’ve set out today will help ensure the Prevent programme keeps pace with the threats we face and has the tools it needs to succeed."
The Home Office said Islamist terrorism remains the primary threat, followed by extreme right-wing terrorism, and the overall threat picture is changing to include a growing number of young people radicalised online who do not align with a particular ideology but instead have fixations with violence.
Trending
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Recent Prevent statistics showed most referrals were for individuals with a vulnerability but no ideology or counter-terrorism risk.
Ms Cooper promised changes to the Prevent programme and a new commissioner to oversee how it works.
She told MPs there was "confusion" in the system and it was "not always clear to practitioners what kinds of cases should be dealt with under Prevent".
"Concerns over low numbers of referrals for Islamist extremism have still not been addressed, and at the same time a lack of clarity remains over whether Prevent should be confined to cases of clear ideology or should also be picking up cases where the ideology is less clear, or where there is a fixation with violence," she said.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Nigel Farage reveals what was really said in meeting with Elon Musk
330 Comments
Pensioners blast Labour government over latest winter fuel payment snub
104 Comments
Kemir Starmer facing humiliation as his Chagos Islands surrender deal is unravels
40 Comments
Nigel Farage reveals how Elon Musk helped Trump win - and hasn't ruled out helping Reform
43 Comments
Sue Gray handed peerage as Keir Starmer sparks new cronyism row
153 Comments
Angela Rayner brutally exposed over WASPI as she breaks biggest promise yet
373 Comments
Keir Starmer does the least surprising thing ever - he's way past caring what voters think
103 Comments
Keir Starmer's dithering risks putting Britain on collision course with Donald Trump
58 Comments
'Day of shame!' WASPI women told they won't receive penny of compensation in new update
886 Comments
Lee Anderson's blistering three-word warning to Keir Starmer after Labour election delay
31 Comments
Nicola Sturgeon's deluded sister makes odd demand as SNP police investigation continues
Comments
Keir Starmer warned migration plan may fail because of this key reason
36 Comments
Young people radicalised online could face internet restrictions in terror crackdown
7 Comments
Keir Starmer will bankrupt UK - we badly need our own Elon Musk
522 Comments
Warning that children at greater risk than ever of being radicalised online
39 Comments
Labour slammed over 'reckless' failure to tackle threat posed by Chinese spies
26 Comments
ISIS fanatics in Syria should be stripped of British citizenship, Keir Starmer told
16 Comments
Keir Starmer 'could have ended the channel migrant crisis by now' with one simple move
535 Comments
Migrant smuggling gangs targeted as Germany strikes deal with UK
137 Comments
Keir Starmer's crusading clampdown is an obsession - he must stop this now
Comments
Nigel Farage reveals what was really said in meeting with Elon Musk
330 Comments
Pensioners blast Labour government over latest winter fuel payment snub
104 Comments
Kemir Starmer facing humiliation as his Chagos Islands surrender deal is unravels
40 Comments
Nigel Farage reveals how Elon Musk helped Trump win - and hasn't ruled out helping Reform
43 Comments
Sue Gray handed peerage as Keir Starmer sparks new cronyism row
153 Comments
Angela Rayner brutally exposed over WASPI as she breaks biggest promise yet
373 Comments
Keir Starmer does the least surprising thing ever - he's way past caring what voters think
103 Comments
Keir Starmer's dithering risks putting Britain on collision course with Donald Trump
58 Comments
'Day of shame!' WASPI women told they won't receive penny of compensation in new update
886 Comments
Lee Anderson's blistering three-word warning to Keir Starmer after Labour election delay
31 Comments
Nicola Sturgeon's deluded sister makes odd demand as SNP police investigation continues
Comments
Keir Starmer warned migration plan may fail because of this key reason
36 Comments
Young people radicalised online could face internet restrictions in terror crackdown
7 Comments
Keir Starmer will bankrupt UK - we badly need our own Elon Musk
522 Comments
Warning that children at greater risk than ever of being radicalised online
39 Comments
Labour slammed over 'reckless' failure to tackle threat posed by Chinese spies
26 Comments
ISIS fanatics in Syria should be stripped of British citizenship, Keir Starmer told
16 Comments
Keir Starmer 'could have ended the channel migrant crisis by now' with one simple move
535 Comments
Migrant smuggling gangs targeted as Germany strikes deal with UK
137 Comments
Keir Starmer's crusading clampdown is an obsession - he must stop this now
Comments
Nigel Farage reveals what was really said in meeting with Elon Musk
330 Comments
Pensioners blast Labour government over latest winter fuel payment snub
104 Comments
Kemir Starmer facing humiliation as his Chagos Islands surrender deal is unravels
40 Comments
Nigel Farage reveals how Elon Musk helped Trump win - and hasn't ruled out helping Reform
43 Comments
Sue Gray handed peerage as Keir Starmer sparks new cronyism row
153 Comments
Angela Rayner brutally exposed over WASPI as she breaks biggest promise yet
373 Comments
Keir Starmer does the least surprising thing ever - he's way past caring what voters think
103 Comments
As well as an "end-to-end review" of the thresholds for the programme and a series of other changes, Ms Cooper said the new Prevent tsar would provide oversight.
The new independent commissioner of Prevent will "review the programme's effectiveness and identify gaps, so any problems can be fixed early".
The Government also announced funding for counter-terror police will increase by ￡140 million next year and the UK's intelligence agencies will have funding increased by ￡499 million.