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AFP chief says 12-year-old on terror radar

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin has confirmed a 12-year-old is on the radar of authorities over an alleged terrorism plot.

A 12-year-old boy is on the "radar" of security agencies in relation to suspected terrorist activity, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin has confirmed.

The juvenile is one of more than a dozen people contained in a Federal Court order imposed on a Sydney terrorism suspect earlier this year, according to the ABC.

The court order, the ABC reported, prohibits terrorism suspect Ahmad Saiyer Naizmand from communicating with 18 males, including the 12-year-old and an 18-year-old who's still in detention in relation to the fatal shooting at NSW police headquarters in Parramatta.

Naizmand pleaded guilty in December to stealing his brother's passport after he was stopped in Dubai, and then returned to Australia.

The ABC also reported the men under investigation over the Parramatta shooting, carried out by 15-year-old Farhad Jabar, are suspected by police of trying to source a gun since at least March.

"We're shocked that a 12-year-old is on the police radar for these type of matters, absolutely," Mr Colvin told the ABC on Wednesday night.

The comments come following the federal government's announcement this week that it plans to introduce new laws that would lower the age at which a control order can be applied from 16 to 14.

"The age of the people that we're concerned about is very concerning," Mr Colvin said.

"The problem is getting worse for Australia, not better."

Naizmand, along with others arrested in raids in response to the Parramatta shooting on October 3, were also targeted as part of Australia's biggest terrorism raids in September last year, prompted by an alleged plot to execute a random member of the public.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



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