Teen handed PlayStation online ban for allegedly sending Al Qaeda crypto

A UK teenager has been charged with terror offenses and banned from PlayStation online after allegedly offering to help Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups with crypto fundraising.

According to the London Evening Standard, the 16-year-old boy from London is accused of offering his services to Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban as an expert in crypto and cybersecurity. 

A sum of $1,300 in cryptocurrency was allegedly raised by the boy for the terror groups.

At Westminster Magistrates Court today the boy pleaded not guilty to five charges, including possessing documents that can be used to prepare acts of terrorism, terrorist training, and terrorist fundraising.

Read more: British man says Welsh city could ‘look like Vegas’ if it dug up lost bitcoin

Prosecutors say the boy is accused of being “ideologically supportive of Islamic terrorist groups,” and presenting himself as a crypto/cyber security expert “so he might be useful to the groups.” 

He was released on bail and has been issued a night-time curfew along with several communicative bans, including restrictions on his use of social media, a ban on using his laptop for anything but educational purposes, and a ban on playing his PlayStation console while online.

Got a tip? Send us an email or ProtonMail. For more informed news, follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky, and Google News, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.