Victorian schoolboy with Islamic State fixation charged with terror offences

A Victorian schoolboy who had a “fixation” with the so-called Islamic State and allegedly threatened to hurt female students at his school has been charged with terror offences.

The 14-year-old, who cannot be named, was arrested early last month.

He was allegedly found with handwritten notes which referred to blowing up his school and shooting his teachers.

He has been charged with two offences including being a member of a terrorist organisation and advocating terrorism.

The boy was initially granted bail in a Children’s Court, a decision which was upheld by the Supreme Court after prosecutors failed to convince a Supreme Court judge that he would be an unacceptable risk if he was released into the community.

The Supreme Court heard the boy’s former primary school principal was the first to raise the alarm in December last year after they became “perturbed” by his attempts to access Islamic State material online.

The court was told that the boy had a “fixation” with IS and allegedly threatened to hurt female students, tried to find information about making a bomb and attempted make contact with a Syrian-based recruiter for the crumbling terror organisation.

His behaviour sparked a terror investigation and prompted police to deploy an undercover officer.

Between July and October this year, the boy allegedly told the officer about his allegiance and affection for terrorist organisations.

The boy will return to court at a later date.

Source: ABC News