A 15-year-old boy has been arrested
A joint effort from UK and Ukrainian police stopped a possible terrorist attack by a teenager armed with military-style knives. A member of the public flagged an online post on Thursday (September 4), which suggested an imminent attack was being planned by an individual in Ukraine.
Europol was then used to help alert cops in Ukraine. Urgent enquiries were carried out in Ukraine, which led to the arrest of a 15-year-old boy the next day, with various weapons and knives seized.
When the boy was apprehended, it is alleged that he was live-streaming as he tried to enter a school. The Ukrainian Ministry of the Interior confirmed on a post on X the detention of a 15-year-old boy at a school in Zakarpattia, posting an image of the bag and weapons seized by police.
Commander Dominic Murphy, from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command said: “This was a truly remarkable piece of work by all those involved – both here in the UK as well as counterparts in Ukraine. The swift actions by our officers alerting Ukrainian counterparts has helped to avert what could have been a potentially devastating attack at a school in Ukraine.
“It’s all the more remarkable when you consider the incredible difficulties those in Ukraine are facing while fighting a war, but thanks to our collective efforts, lives have almost certainly been saved.
“Our close ties with international partners are a key part of our work in Counter Terrorism Policing and this case shows why that work is so important to tackling threats, wherever they might appear in the world.
“It also highlights the important role the public play and we would continue to encourage the public to flag any concerning material to us – as we’ve seen here, it could help save lives.”
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