17-year-old boy Charged with Terror Related Offences over Social Media Posts

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with a terrorism related offence, New South Wales (NSW), Sydney, police said on Wednesday.

Police arrested the boy, who they said has special needs after being alerted to a number of social media posts.

He was taken to a police station in Sydney’s South-West and charged at midnight on Tuesday.

Police said the boy was charged with one count of Acts in preparation for, or planning, a Terrorist Act, contrary to Section 101.6 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

He was also charged with using a telecommunications network with intention to commit a serious offence, contrary to section 474.14 Commonwealth Criminal Code.

According to The Guardian, his matter was mentioned in the Parramatta children’s court on Wednesday where it was adjourned until Thursday. Bail was not applied for and it was formally refused. An application for bail is expected to be made on Thursday.

Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione imlored officers to be vigilant, saying that the teenager talked about killing an officer in one of his posts.

“Late last night, we put a warning out to our police again on the back of the most recent advice we’ve broadcast, that we know police and security services are currently targets,” he said.

He also said that he expected the court to take into account the boy’s special needs. “At this stage we need to bear in mind he does have special needs but this is now a matter that will be before the courts and we expect the courts will take all of that into account,” Scipione said.

NSW police advised there was no threat to the community, and the matter was unrelated to other investigations undertaken by the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team under Operation Appleby
Operation Appleby is an ongoing operation investigating persons suspected of being involved in domestic acts of terrorism, foreign incursions into Syria and Iraq and the funding of terrorist organisations.