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Police have charged a 13-year-old boy over an alleged plot to carry out an act of violence at a Queensland school.
Officers first came into contact with the boy when he allegedly threatened occupants at a business on Saltwater Creek Road at Maryborough, about 250km north of Brisbane, with a large knife and dressed in a disguise on May 20.
He was dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act for one count each of attempting to enter premises with intent, going armed so as to cause fear, making threats and possessing a thing intended for use in connection with an offence.
Following further investigations, detectives from the Counter Terrorism Investigation Group and Maryborough Child Protection Investigation Unit executed a search warrant at a Maryborough address on May 30.
An electronic device was seized.
The boy has been 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.
He will front Hervey Bay Children’s Court on June 5, following a brief court appearance on Monday.
Detective Inspector Jason Hindmarsh said there was evidence he was allegedly planning for death and grievous bodily harm and intended to cause harm at a local school.
He said it was too early to say if it was ideologically motivated, but said the boy was allegedly quite advanced in his intention to cause death and grievous bodily harm.
“He did intend to cause harm at a local school,” Mr Hindmarsh said.
“The actions of the youth on that day did involve a threat to a local school.
“There were threats made to employees of the business, and we now have evidence that details the threat to the local school.
“There are a range of security measures in place, but I must stress, there is no ongoing threat to the community.”
Mr Hindmarsh said while the threat was imminent it was no longer present because the boy had been taken into custody.
“But yeah, he was quite well advanced in his intention to cause death and GBH,” he said.
“I will take this opportunity to stress that this is time to reinforce that family members and peers must supervise our online environment, particularly our vulnerable youth.
“Where there is concerning behaviour, there are a range of programs we can divert our youth away from if they are entering areas of radicalisation.”
Police will return to Maryborough to conduct further inquiries with frontline officers and child protection services on Tuesday.
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