An 18-year-old charged with publishing and possessing extremist material, and making threats to kill has been denied bail. The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court where his lawyers argued he had no intention to carry out the threats. However, the judge ruled there would be an unacceptable risk to the community if he were released.
The teenager is accused of sending an email from 'Adolf Hitler' to the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, threatening that Jews would be shot, burnt and slaughtered. He also allegedly posted Islamic State propaganda on Instagram depicting executions of civilians, and a video on his phone appeared to show him pledging allegiance to Islamic State.
Justice Rowena Orr acknowledged the teen's autism and mental health conditions, as well as police misconduct during a previous investigation, but refused bail. She cited Victorian bail laws that prioritize community safety, noting that posting terror material 'can quickly escalate to real world acts'. The court heard the teen had previously spent 93 days in custody over another terror investigation that was halted due to police misconduct.
The judge highlighted the teen's escalating behavior, including attempts to steal keys at a youth detention center and plans to carry out a stabbing. He had also breached bail conditions and searched online for ways to cover up murder. Justice Orr concluded that his parents or supervision programs could not sufficiently lower the risk of further offending.
