A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in the United Kingdom over links to Melbourne terrorism raids at the weekend.
Manchester police arrested the boy in connection with an alleged Islamic State-inspired plan to attack Anzac Day events in Australia.
The teenager from Blackburn was first arrested on 2 April following “the examination of a number of electronic devices”, according to Greater Manchester police.
He was re-arrested on Saturday after officers from the north-west counter-terrorism unit (NWCTU) and officers from Lancashire constabulary executed a warrant at an address in Blackburn.
As part of the investigation officers uncovered communication between a teenager in Blackburn and a man in Australia. Information was subsequently passed to the Australian authorities.
DCS Tony Mole, from NWCTU, said: “As soon as this information came to light we acted quickly with the relevant authorities here and abroad and this has resulted with officers from the NWCTU arresting a teenager.
“The nature of the communication is currently under full assessment and subject to investigation.”
The Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, declined to confirm details of the intelligence sharing, but underlined the importance of close cooperation with the UK and other countries to counter violent extremism.
“It’s the inspiration that misguided and gullible people right around the world are drawing from this death cult and my message is that the threat is worldwide and that’s why the cooperation with those who understand the nature of the threat has got to be worldwide as well,” he said in Canberra on Tuesday.
Abbott also repeated his call for Australians to attend Anzac services and not to be deterred by the reported security concerns.
“I think that anyone who wants to interfere with an Anzac Day service is obviously doing something which is utterly alien to Australians,” he said.
