Terrorism Plot In Melbourne Halted By AFP; Teen Arrested For Having 3 Improvised Bombs Appears In Court

The boy arrested on Friday for purportedly plotting to terrorise Mother’s Day appeared before the Children’s Court on Monday, May 11 to formally face his charges: planning a terrorist act and possessing items related to a terrorist act. The boy was not accompanied by any of his family, according to a report.

A terror plot was timely foiled by Australian Federal Police who apprehended a 17-year-old boy in Melbourne on Friday afternoon, May 8. According to Mike Phelan, AFP deputy commissioner, three improvised pipe bombs were recovered from the teen’s bedroom.

Victoria police bomb squad transported the bombs to a local park and have them defused. Phelan explained that crude pipe bombs “explode in a ball of shrapnel” to create great damage especially in crowded areas. But despite their simplicity, Phelan said an “explosion is an explosion.”

“We've got to examine lot of material that was seized at the premises, sift through a lot of intelligence, we have to get the full picture so we may not know exactly where it was going to occur nor when it was exactly going to occur, but let me tell you something was going to happen,” Phelan told the media.

Robert Hill, acting deputy commissioner of Victoria police disclosed they had been intensely investigating the matter for more than a week and decided to initiate a direct action in resolving the threat. Also seized from the boy’s upmarket Greenvale home in Melbourne were computer and some material. The teenager is facing two terrorism-related charges.

A Supposed Mother’s Day Massacre

The police commented the homemade explosives were supposedly used to inflict terror on Mother’s day, although they cannot be sure whether there were three targets or just one and use the other two against any emergency service units.

The house raid and subsequent boy’s arrest were made in a cooperative State-and-federal police effort, after a tip was given to National Security Hotline. Phelan said the intervention by AFP and Victoria police protected many Victorians because the threat was real and substantial.

“It is deeply troubling to police that young people in our community are becoming so disaffected and alienated that they would consider engaging in acts such as this. Information from the community and working with the community is important. It is usually the families and friends that are the first to know have indicators of this kind of activity,” Phelan remarked, adding that parents should spend more time with their children.

Police Custody

The teen’s identity is withheld by authorities on account of his minority. When his lawyer petitioned the court to allow boy’s family to pay him visits, the judge answered it is discretionary on the authorities. Justin Quill, a media lawyer, also petitioned the judge to have the boy’s name published as the case was “a matter of the highest public interest,” but the same was denied.

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