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LONDON – A 15-year-old British boy pleaded guilty on Thursday to inciting terrorism by encouraging another teenager to kill police officers during a war memorial ceremony in Australia.
The boy, who can’t be named because of his age, was arrested in northwest England in April. He was detained after Australian police arrested five teenagers on suspicion of plotting an ISIS-inspired attack.
Prosecutor Paul Greaney said the British youth sent thousands of instant messages to 18-year-old Australian suspect Sevdet Besim in March, encouraging him “to commit an act of terrorism abroad, namely the murder of police officers during an attack upon a parade to commemorate ANZAC Day in Melbourne.”
One message said “suggest you break into someone’s house and get your first taste of beheading.”
Prosecutors dropped a second charge relating to inciting beheading.
The teen, who was 14 when he was arrested, will be sentenced on Sept. 3.
ANZAC Day is the annual April 25 commemoration of the 1915 Gallipoli landings — the first major military action fought by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I.