British Police Question Muslim Boy Who Mistakenly Wrote the Word 'Terrorist'

police
Police stand on duty at Horse Guards Parade before New Year's Eve celebrations in London, Britain December 31, 2015. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

A 10-year-old Muslim boy has been questioned by British police in the north of England after mistakenly writing in an English lesson that he lived in a "terrorist house", the BBC reported on Wednesday.

The boy had intended to write that he lived in a "terraced" house but teachers did not realize he had made an error and reported the boy to the police in accordance with new counter-terrorism rules, which critics say are focused on Muslim communities.

Police interviewed the boy and examined a computer at the family home. The family has demanded an apology from both the police and the school, the BBC said.

"They shouldn't be putting a child through this," the BBC quoted the boy's cousin as saying. To protect the identity of the child, the BBC did not give names in its report.

"He's now scared of writing, using his imagination," the cousin was quoted as saying.

Editor's Picks

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Unlimited access to Newsweek.com
  • Ad free Newsweek.com experience
  • iOS and Android app access
  • All newsletters + podcasts
Newsweek cover
  • Unlimited access to Newsweek.com
  • Ad free Newsweek.com experience
  • iOS and Android app access
  • All newsletters + podcasts