Intelligence and law agencies in the Western “Five Eyes” security alliance warned Friday of a rising number of children being radicalised online by violent extremists.
The intelligence-sharing group spanning the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand called for a “whole of society” response to the phenomenon in its first jointly authored public paper.
“We are increasingly concerned about the radicalisation of minors, and minors who support, plan or undertake terrorist activities,” they said in the study.
The proportion of minors and people under 25 involved in such cases fluctuated over time, according to the study.
But “our nations have seen a rising prominence of young people and minors in counter-terrorism cases over the last few years”, it said.
Australia’s intelligence service said about 20 per cent of its priority counter-terrorism cases involved young people.
In one case that made headlines in April, a 16-year-old boy was charged with a “terrorist act” after a bishop was stabbed during a live-streamed service at an Assyrian Christian church in western Sydney.
“In every one of the terrorist attacks, disruptions and suspected terrorist incidents in Australia this year, the alleged perpetrator was a young person,” said Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
“As a parent, the numbers are shocking. As an intelligence officer, the numbers are sobering.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/dark-dangerous-five-eyes-alliance-raises-concerns-over-rise-of-online-youth-extremism-13842111.html.
