London teenagers appear in court on terror charges after 'planning to join Isis in Syria'

Four teenagers accused of planning to travel to Syria to join Isis have appeared in court on charges of “preparing terrorist acts”.

They appeared in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, supported by their families, and were ordered to appear at the Old Bailey next month.

They were arrested in a series of raids by the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror branch across the capital on Tuesday.

All four boys, three of whom cannot be named for legal reasons, are aged between 16 and 19 and have been charged with preparation of terrorist acts.

A 17-year-old from Hounslow was additionally accused of disseminating terrorist publications, while 19-year-old Ahmedeltigani Alsyed and a 17-year-old from Merton, were also charged with the collection of information contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000.

A fifth boy, 15, appeared in a separate youth hearing at the same court accused of collecting and disseminating terrorist publications including an Isis magazine and a bomb-making video.

The schoolboy, of Waltham Forest, pleaded not guilty to all charges and is due to stand trial in May at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Several teenagers from London are among more than 850 men and women who have travelled to join the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, including dozens known to have been killed in warzones.

Additional reporting by PA