A 17-year-old Melbourne teenager has appeared in a children’s court to face two terrorism-related charges.
Because of his age, the boy from Melbourne’s northern suburbs cannot be named. He was arrested on Friday night at his home where he was living with his parents.
Police allegedly found three homemade explosive devices in a search of the house. The police bomb squad later detonated the devices after setting up an exclusion zone nearby.
Appearing before the court on Monday, the boy faced one charge of possessing things connected with a terrorist act, and one charge of preparing for a terrorist attack.
He will next appear before the court for further mention on 26 May. No bail application was made.
A lawyer representing a media organisation, Justin Quill, applied for permission to name the teenager, arguing the case was a “matter of the highest public interest requiring the fullest reporting possible”, but the judge rejected the application.
Naming him would “not be good for his mental health and physical health in detention”, the judge said.
The court heard the boy’s family was surprised by the arrest.
The acting deputy commissioner for Victoria police, Robert Hill, told reporters on Sunday the boy had a “caring, loving family that are now very, very distraught as a consequence of what is alleged”.
“It has undoubtedly taken them by surprise,” he said.
The judge said whether the boy’s parents could visit him while he remained in detention was a matter for the corrections department.
“It would be unfortunate if family were not allowed to visit him,” the judge said.
Police did not make any allegations that the teenager was targeting a specific event.
