UK police seek to halt Brits joining Syria rebels
LONDON (AP) — British police are launching a nationwide bid to prevent young people from traveling to Syria to take part in the fighting there — part of a Europe-wide effort to discourage would-be combatants.
Metropolitan Police officials said Thursday they are increasingly concerned about the number of young people intending to go to Syria to join the conflict.
Police say the number of Syria-related arrests in Britain has risen, with 40 reported in the first three months of 2014 compared with 25 in all of last year.
Counter-terrorism coordinator Helen Ball said police are trying to encourage people to contact them if they have concerns about family and friends joining the fighting.
Officials have long worried that young people returning from Syria would bring terrorist tactics to Britain.
