Three British teens returned after trying to join Islamic State in Syria

Three British teens who were believed to be on their way to Syria to join militants there were detained in Turkey and quickly returned to the UK and arrested on suspicion of planning terrorist acts, British police on Sunday.

The male trio left Britain several days ago, and they were detained in Istanbul after British officials notified Turkish authorities. The three were arrested on suspicion of the preparation of terrorism acts and were in custody at a central London police station, police said. Their names haven't been released. Two are aged 17 and one is 19.

They are believed to be the latest in a growing number of Britons trying to travel to extremist-held territory inside Syria. Last month, three British schoolgirls left the UK for Turkey and, police believe, crossed the border into Syria to join Islamic State militants.

British legislator Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said the latest case showed the number of young Britons trying to reach Syria "is on a much larger scale" than had been thought.

Vaz praised Turkish authorities for acting quickly to detain the teens before they entered Syria.

Similar attempts to stop the schoolgirls were unsuccessful - leading some to criticise Turkish officials for not acting quickly enough to keep them from entering Syria.