13yo Queensland boy charged with violent extremist offences
The boy has been charged with preparation or planning to cause death or grievous bodily harm and possessing or controlling violent extremist material. (ABC News: Olivia Nunes-Malek)
In short:
A 13-year-old boy has been charged with violent extremist offences after being arrested in Maryborough.
Police say a seized electronic device allegedly showed threats of violence that he intended to carry out at a local school.
What's next?
The boy is in custody and police say there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Queensland Police say a 13-year-old boy charged with violent extremist offences posed an "imminent threat" to a local school.
In a press conference on Monday, Acting Detective Superintendent Jason Hindmarsh said the boy from Queensland's Fraser Coast was "quite well advanced" in his planning.
Police arrested the teenager on May 28 after being called to a BP service station on Saltwater Creek Road in Maryborough following reports of a person with a knife.
The boy has been charged with preparation or planning to cause death or grievous bodily harm and possessing or controlling violent extremist material. (ABC News: Olivia Nunes-Malek)
The boy was taken into custody and dealt with under the Youth Justice Act over one count of attempting to enter premises with intent, going armed so as to cause fear and making threats.
Following further investigations, detectives from the Counter Terrorism Investigation Group searched a Maryborough home on Saturday and seized an electronic device.
Police said he was later charged with one count each of preparation or planning to cause death or grievous bodily harm and possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained or accessed using a carriage of service.
Acting Detective Superintendent Hindmarsh said police were not alleging it would have been a terrorist attack.
"It's too early to say if there was an ideological, religious or political motivation," he said.
"We've got counterterrorism investigators returning to Maryborough tomorrow.
"We'll be working in partnership with local frontline police, [and] our child protection services, to make the community feel safe and for us to be certain there's no ongoing threat."
The boy was arrested after allegedly making threats at a service station on Saltwater Creek Road in Maryborough. (ABC News: Olivia Nunes-Malek)
Police described the prosecution as the first under the Fighting Antisemitism and Keeping Guns Out of the Hands of Terrorists and Criminals Amendment Act, which was introduced following the Bondi attack last year.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said support from a guidance officer was being made available to students.
"Any situation that threatens the safety and wellbeing of students, staff or our school community is treated extremely seriously, and dealt with as a matter of priority," the statement read.
"The department is aware of a threat made by a young person against a state school, and is working with the Queensland Police Service regarding the matter."
The boy remains in custody.
He is due to re-appear in the Hervey Bay Children's Court on Friday.
Police said there was no ongoing threat to the public and investigations were ongoing.