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A teenage boy has been charged with planning to carry out an attack on a local school, after police investigated him over threatening a service station north of Brisbane with a knife.
Police were called to the service station on Saltwater Creek Road in Maryborough on Thursday last week following reports that a person armed with a knife was making threats.
A 13-year-old boy was taken into custody and charged with offences including entering a premise with intent, going armed to cause fear and making threats.
Acting Detective Superintendent Jason Hindmarsh said the teen was in possession of a large knife and was wearing a disguise.
Police from the Counter Terrorism Investigation Group then searched a home in Maryborough, where they seized electronic devices allegedly containing violent and extremist material.
They allege the teen also made threats to a local school, and he was charged with planning to cause death or grievous bodily harm under the Queensland government’s new anti-hate laws.
Hindmarsh said he was the first Queenslander to face prosecution of this offence under the laws, which carry a maximum penalty of 14 years.
He continued that police are not alleging a terrorist attack, but a threat to the school and young people at the school.
“We do have evidence that there was planning towards death and GBH [grievous bodily harm], [but] it’s too early to say if there was an ideological, religious or political motivation,” Hindmarsh said.
“We’re doing a holistic approach to this investigation, working with education, health, the courts and will be wrapping support around the family.
“We will look at all facets of his online footprint … but obviously his motivation is one of our key lines of inquiry.”
Hindmarsh said there were no ongoing threats to the school or local community.
“This is time to reinforce that family members and peers must supervise their online environment, particularly our vulnerable youth,” he said.
“And where there is concerning behaviour, with the range of programs [available], we can divert our youth away from [it] if they are entering areas of radicalisation.”
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