A 15-year-old boy in Sydney, who claimed to be a friend of a teen accused of stabbing a bishop, has applied for bail on charges of planning a terrorist attack. This boy is one of six teenagers, aged 14 to 17, who were charged with various offenses, including conspiring to engage in or plan a terrorist act. The police alleged that they all followed a religiously motivated, violent extremist ideology and were part of a network that included a 16-year-old boy who stabbed an Assyrian Orthodox bishop and priest during a church service streamed online.
The 15-year-old’s lawyer argued for his release on bail due to exceptional circumstances, presenting documents such as an affidavit from the boy’s mother, school report cards, and a psychological report. However, the prosecutor opposed the bail application, stating that the boy’s circumstances were unexceptional. The prosecutor argued that a young person with behavioral issues facing a terrorism accusation is not unusual. The boy had been part of an encrypted chat group where he discussed targeting Jewish people and referred to the teen charged with the stabbings as his mate.
The boy was charged after the stabbing incident at Christ the Good Shepherd Church that sparked a riot outside the church. The attacker was charged with committing a terrorist act, but neither the bishop nor priest suffered life-threatening injuries. The attack prompted a major counterterrorism response that led to the arrest of six more teens the following week. The boy’s lawyer defended him by stating that he put on a macho performance on social media and was not the “monster” that prosecutors portrayed him as. Two hand-drawn Islamic State group flags were found in his bedroom during a police raid last week.
The decision on whether to grant the 15-year-old bail will be made by Magistrate James Viney. The boy watched the court proceedings via video link from a detention center while his parents attended court. The case highlights the ongoing issue of youth involvement in extremist activities and the influence of online chat groups in propagating extremist ideologies. The prosecutor argued that the boy’s behavior and association with the encrypted chat group were concerning and not indicative of exceptional circumstances warranting bail. The court will need to consider all the evidence presented before making a decision on the boy’s bail application.
