EDMONTON – Alberta RCMP say people play a critical role in identifying relatives or friends who may be vulnerable to recruitment by terrorist groups.

Police issued a news release in the province under the heading “making the difficult call.”

Insp. John Baranyi, the officer in charge of the RCMP national security enforcement team in Alberta, says calling police may be difficult.

But he says it is not as hard as dealing with what might happen if that call is never made.

The release comes a day before a 17-year-old Edmonton-area boy charged with terror-related offences is to appear in court.

The youth was arrested last month and charged with attempting to leave the country to participate in a terrorist group and attempting to leave the country to commit a terrorist activity.

“Early intervention is the only way to ensure that the individual gets access to the necessary support and assessment services before they do something they can’t undo,” Baranyi said Wednesday.

“Radicalization is something that can happen to any family or community, so every Canadian has a responsibility to help police make sure it does not lead to senseless violence.”

RCMP said their release is not directly related to the youth’s case.

Court documents say the alleged offences the youth faces involve the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

The teen cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Several Canadian young people have already travelled to the Middle East to fight for the Islamic State.

Ottawa’s national security report said at the start of 2014 that more than 130 individuals were abroad and suspected of terror-related activities.