NT teen charged with collecting documents likely to facilitate terrorist act

A teenager has been remanded in custody in the Northern Territory after being charged with a series of terrorism and extremism offences.

Police sources told the ABC the teenager — who cannot be legally identified — had allegedly expressed support for both the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, who is serving a life sentence after murdering 51 people in a 2019 attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The teenager has been charged with one count of collecting documents likely to facilitate terrorist acts, one count of possessing violent extremist material, and one count of possessing or controlling firearms and explosives manufacture material.

A source close to the case said the investigation was triggered by a Crime Stoppers tip-off received just last week.

A Joint Counter Terrorism Team spokesperson confirmed officers searched the teen’s home following a public report, allegedly seizing devices and documents containing “violent extremist material and referenced violent attacks”.

“During an initial examination of the devices, investigators also identified alleged instructional schematics for the manufacture of 3D-printed firearms, and other instructional documents and manuals investigators will allege are likely to facilitate a terrorist act,” they said.

At a press conference this afternoon, AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Pixie Fuhrmeister said there was “currently no information that the young person had access to firearms, firearms components, or had the capability to manufacture firearms”.

She also alleged officers had seized material that “indicates a mixed ideological motivation with the glorification or support for a mass casualty attack at a school or place of worship”.

NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole, who also spoke at the press conference, said “based on the information currently available to investigators”, police did “not believe there is an ongoing threat to the community arising from this matter”.

The teenager has been charged with one count of collecting documents likely to facilitate terrorist acts, one count of possessing violent extremist material, and one count of possessing or controlling firearms and explosives manufacture material.

‘Speed and scale of radicalisation’ a concern

The arrest comes as Australian Federal Police grapple with a sharp rise in youth extremism.

A recent analysis of 55 radicalised children conducted by the agency revealed all subjects were male, had been radicalised wholly or partially online, and frequently displayed unspecific or fragmented ideologies.

AFP counterterrorism commander Paula Hudson said Australia’s joint counterterrorism teams were becoming increasingly concerned about the number of young people coming to their attention.

“It is well documented that terrorists and violent extremists use the online environment to radicalise vulnerable individuals and technology is enabling this to occur at a rapidly increasing rate,” she said.

“The speed and scale of radicalisation is becoming one of our most significant challenges, especially when it comes to young people.”

Commander Hudson said it would take a whole-of-society effort to protect young people from “radicalisation and manipulation”.

“Without a serious intervention, the risk is our justice systems, mental health systems, education systems and financial systems will become overwhelmed by youth victims and perpetrators,” she said.

Commissioner Dole echoed those concerns.

“This is not about striking fear into parents, but everyone should be concerned about the activity of their children,” he said.

“As parents, they should be aware of what their children are looking at and they should be looking for behavioural changes in their children and if they see changes, get some help, reach out.”

Teenager faces court

The teenager appeared before the NT Youth Justice Court this afternoon, with several members of his family, including his mother, in attendance for the brief hearing.

The teenager’s lawyer, Richard Bryson, did not make an application for his client to be released on bail, but did foreshadow a future application.

Mr Bryson said it was accepted the charges were “serious on an objective level” but submitted there could be conditions put in place to mitigate any risk to community safety.

Judge Giles O’Brien Hartcher said the prospects of an application for bail being successful were slim.

“From what I can see, it is extremely serious,” Judge O’Brien Hartcher said.

“It would have to be a very, very persuasive application to have any chance of success.”

The teenager was remanded in custody, with the case due to return to court on November 9.