Schoolgirl who fled to war zone is held at Stansted: 18-year-old being questioned by anti-terror police at a central London police station

• The teenage girl was detained at Stansted Airport in Essex at 4pm today
• Officers took the girl to a central London police station for questioning
• Anti-terror police arrested 327 suspects last year in a string of raids
• The number of terrorism arrests has increased by one-third on 2013 
• 
  

Silhan Ozcelik, pictured, was arrested after she landed in Stansted airport at 4pm yesterday

A British schoolgirl feared to have run away to Syria to fight against Islamic State was held at Stansted airport yesterday on suspicion of terror offences.

A-level student Silhan Ozcelik was 17 when she went missing in October. It was feared she had become the first UK female to join the war against the jihadis.

Her family said Silhan, now 18, was on a humanitarian mission.  

The Kurdish teenager, from Highbury Corner, North London, left St Pancras International on the Eurostar before making her way to the warzone. 

Counter-terror police arrested her at 4pm yesterday after she arrived on a flight.

 She was taken to a central London police station where she remains in custody.

The Home Office said police had been issued with guidance to be alert to ‘any possible dangers’ adding: ‘These are sensible precautions and are intended to underline existing protective security procedures and inform operational risk assessments.’ 

Speaking yesterday, Britain's senior anti-terrorism policeman, assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said there were 327 arrests for terrorism offences in the UK last year - and increase of one-third on 2013.

He said: 'Last summer, the national threat level was raised to SEVERE. This means a terrorist attack here is highly likely.

 At that time we took a number of additional steps to protect communities and the public. This included, but was by no means limited to, additional armed patrols and more visible policing. 

We also held a counter-terrorism awareness week before Christmas to alert the public to the need for greater vigilance, and we offered specific advice where necessary.'

Commissioner Rowley continued: 'But, in light of the attacks in Paris last week, we have been reviewing, alongside our partners, our overall security posture.

 This is a further step in a process over a number of years of learning lessons from such events. 

'For example, since the attack in Mumbai in 2008, we have enhanced our ability to respond effectively to a marauding terrorist attack by expanding our specialist firearms capability and improving the effectiveness of the response and joint working of all the emergency services. 

More generally we have continued to refine our plans and to enhance our capabilities to respond to a terrorist threat which has evolved and diversified.'

Assistant Commissioner Rowley said that the number of calls to the anti-terror hotline has increased 'significantly' over the past few months making 'an important contribution' to keeping the public safe.