A Register reporter has been let away with a slap on the wrist after confessing to what the cops claim is an act of terrorism.

According to the Metropolitan Police, anyone caught watching a sickening beheading video will be treated like a terrorist. Lawyer and legal commentator David Allen Green challenged that claim – and we were sceptical, too.

The Met's Counter Terrorism Command published a statement today following the release of a vicious piece of footage which apparently shows a British-accented ISIS jihadi decapitating kidnapped American journalist James Foley.

The Met's statement read: "We would like to remind the public that viewing, downloading or disseminating extremist material within the UK may constitute an offence under Terrorism legislation."

This reporter phoned the Metropolitan Police and asked: "I watched the James Foley video. Am I a terrorist?"

Thankfully, the cops' spin-doctor informed us there would be no dawn raids, unless we did something else to arouse suspicion.

Watching the video could be used to build a case against us, we were told, but this act alone did not give plods enough evidence to lock the viewer in Belmarsh.

"Distribution is the issue," the spokesman said. "Viewing the video could be taken into consideration if any other information comes to light." ®