No bail for accused Vic terror teen

A 17-year-old Melbourne boy did not seek bail when he appeared in court on Monday charged with planning a terrorist attack.

Police station sign

A teen remains in custody after appearing on court accused of planning a terror attack in Victoria. (AAP)

A teenage boy accused of planning a terror attack remains in custody as police continue to search a Melbourne home for evidence.

Police guarded the 17-year-old as he appeared in a Children's Court on Monday charged with planning a terrorist act and possessing items connected with a terrorist act.

The boy was arrested during a raid on Friday at a home in Melbourne's north, where police allege they found three improvised explosive devices.

His lawyer did not seek bail but did argue for his identity to be kept secret.

Publishing the teenager's name "wouldn't be good for his mental health and physical health ... in detention", the lawyer said.

Media lawyer Justin Quill asked the court to consider naming the boy because the case was a matter of the "highest public interest".

Mr Quill had heard the boy's parents were "quite surprised" to find their son in this situation.

Publishing the teenager's name might inform other parents to be wary of what their children were up to, he said.

The judge has refused Mr Quill's application.

The boy's lawyer asked the court to ensure the teenager's family, who have relocated since the raids, could visit him in detention.

"That would be a decision of the authorities," the judge said on Monday.

The boy was remanded in custody to reappear on May 26.

On Monday, police were still searching a house in Melbourne.

Outside court, Premier Daniel Andrews said $25 million had been committed over four years to tackle radicalisation but there was still a lot governments did not understand.

"I think it's important to be honest about that, to be really clear, that we don't necessarily have all the neat and tidy answers for what is a complex problem," he said.

Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria chairman Eddie Micallef said slick programs targeting alienated young people on social media needed a whole-of-community response.

"The issue of youth disengagement is extremely complex, is not something the police should be expected to deal with on their own," he said.

Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan said Islamic State's use of the internet to recruit young people had made the AFP's work more challenging and complex.

"I don't think anyone's seen anything like this in our lifetime," Mr Gaughan, the national manager of counter terrorism, told 3AW radio.


Share

3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
No bail for accused Vic terror teen | SBS News