Covid creating ‘perfect storm’ for young people at risk of online radicalisation, Met Police officer says 

Covid-19, social isolation and a rise in online extremism is creating a “perfect storm” for young people vulnerable to online radicalisation, according to the UK’s most senior counter-terrorism police officer. Hundreds of children have been referred to the government’s Prevent programme, which was designed to discourage young people from being drawn into terrorism.

A new advice website called Act Early has also been launched today. Earlier, we spoke to the Assistant Commissoner of the Metropolitan Police, Neil Basu, the country’s most senior counter-terrorism officer. We asked him about the scale of online radicalisation.