A teen who allegedly had bomb-making manuals and explosives in his bedroom will become the first Victorian child to face terrorism charges in the Supreme Court if he is committed to stand trial.
The 17-year-old could face life in prison if convicted of planning to commit a terrorist act, after prosecutors successfully argued the case goes beyond the Children's Court jurisdiction, which imposes a maximum three-year sentence.
The boy's lawyer argued the teen was "a child, who can be saved", but a Children's Court judge found on Monday that allowing a Supreme Court hearing was justified.
The teen is also charged with possessing things connected with a terrorist act, and failing to provide a password.
He will now face a committal mention in a Children's Court on September 7, before a committal hearing where it will be determined if there is sufficient evidence for him to stand trial.
An Australian Federal Police agent told the court on Monday the teenager allegedly had pipe bombs and pressure cooker bomb-making manuals in military-strength encrypted computer files, including one called "How to build a bomb in the kitchen of your mum".
"It appears the accused has followed those instructions quite closely," he said.
Police allegedly found bomb ingredients during raids on the boy's home on May 8.
The prosecutor said the threat posed by the boy was one of the closest Victoria had ever come to an attack.
Court documents reveal the teen was searching online about Anzac Day, Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis and instructions for avoiding surveillance.
The teen's lawyer argued that while police detonated explosives after the raid on the boy's home, the devices were not functional bombs.
He said the teen, who sat in the dock flanked by two police officers, was a child who had gone off the rails.
"We're talking about a 17-year-old kid who got material from the net," he said.
"We're talking about a child who can be saved."
He said the boy came from a well-educated family.
"What he needs is de-radicalisation, not significant detention beyond the capacity of this court," he said.
The Children's Court judge said the evidence appeared to show a degree of radicalisation and a capability of the teen to carry out the offences he is charged with.
He didn't think the Children's Court's sentencing capabilities would be sufficient if the teenager was convicted but said he doesn't expect the offence's life sentence maximum to be imposed.
The teen has been remanded in custody but is expected to make a bail application on a future date.
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