Teen terrorists blocked

State Security Minister David Mahlobo. File photo.
Image by: Foto24 / Brendan Croft / Gallo Images

Fifteen South African teenagers have been prevented from joining overseas terrorist groups through government intelligence operations, State Security Minister David Mahlobo said yesterday.

In April, a 15-year-old girl was intercepted at Cape Town' s airport intending to join Islamic State . The terrorist group had recruited her through social media .

Mahlobo said that, since then his department had prevented 15 other similar attempts by teenagers, working with the police, the Hawks and the Department of Home Affairs. He did not elaborate on when the interceptions took place or how the teenagers were identified.

He said that parents should monitor their children's use of social media more closely.

Speaking during an imbizo in Nyanga, Cape Town, Mahlobo appealed to Western Cape parents to be more vigilant.

"Here in the Western Cape we have a problem. Do you know about terrorism?

"Since your children are using social networks, terrorist groups like IS are busy recruiting your children on a false ideology that democracy does not work," he said.

He said parents could not let their children wander into the on-line wilderness unsupervised.

"Cyberspace provides endless opportunities. We can make friendships, we can do business, we can get knowledge but what we have noticed [is that] the criminals are also using that space."

"We know that cyber terrorism is taking place. Terrorist groups are recruiting young people. Here in South Africa, we know that in Western Cape, in Johannesburg and in Durban they are working very hard in terms of ideological radicalism, trying to recruit young people."