Two NSW teenagers charged over alleged violent extremist material and terror probe
Consensus Summary
Two teenagers from Moree, NSW, aged 15 and 16, were charged with possessing and transmitting violent extremist material after a joint counterterrorism investigation. The probe began in December 2023 when police received information about a 15-year-old accessing extremist content online. On 27 March, officers raided a home in Moree, seizing a mobile phone, a ballistic-style vest, and notebooks, leading to the 15-year-oldās initial arrest and charges. Further raids on 28 March at two homes uncovered handwritten notes and extremist literature, resulting in both teens being charged. The 15-year-old faced additional charges for knowingly collecting terrorism-related documents and transmitting extremist material, while the 16-year-old was charged with possession. Both were denied bail and appeared before Parramatta Childrenās Court, with slight variations in court dates across reports. Police confirmed no ongoing threat but did not elaborate on the extremist materialās nature or the teensā motives. The case highlights concerns over radicalization among young people in rural NSW.
ā Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Two teenagers (aged 15 and 16) from Moree, NSW, were charged with possessing or transmitting violent extremist material
- The investigation began in December 2023 after New England police received information about a 15-year-old accessing extremist material online
- On 27 March, police searched a home in Moree and seized a mobile phone, a ballistic-style vest, and several notebooks
- The 15-year-old was initially charged with using a carriage service to possess violent extremist material and possessing a prohibited weapon
- Both teens were refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Childrenās Court (dates vary slightly between sources: Friday or Saturday)
- The 15-year-old was later charged with knowingly collecting or making documents connected with terrorism
- The 16-year-old was charged with using a carriage service to possess violent extremist material
- Police conducted further raids on 28 March (Thursday) at two homes in Moree, seizing handwritten notes and extremist literature
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The 15-year-old was charged with both knowingly collecting/making documents connected with terrorism and using a carriage service to transmit violent extremist material
- The 16-year-old was charged with using a carriage service to possess violent extremist material (not explicitly mentioned in other sources)
- The 15-year-old was arrested twice: first on 27 March and again on 28 March after further raids
- The 15-year-old was charged at the time of the first raid (27 March) with possession of extremist material
- The 16-year-old was arrested later on 28 March (Thursday) morning
- The 15-year-old was arrested at 10am on 28 March and taken to Moree police station
- The 15-year-old was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon (ballistic-style vest) without a permit
- The 15-year-old was charged with using a carriage service to transmit violent extremist material (not just possession)
- The 16-year-old was charged with using a carriage service to possess violent extremist material (not explicitly mentioned in other sources)
- The 15-year-old was charged with knowingly collecting and making documents connected with terrorism (not explicitly mentioned in other sources)
- The 15-year-old was charged with using a carriage service to possess violent extremist material and possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit
- The teen was arrested and charged on 27 March (Friday) during the raid
- The raid occurred in the North West Plains region of NSW (not explicitly mentioned in other sources)
- The 15-year-old is due to appear in Childrenās Court on Saturday (not Friday as per Guardian)
- The 15-year-old was refused bail and is due to appear in a Childrenās Court on Saturday
- The police spokesman stated: 'The community should be reassured that there is no ongoing threat' (not mentioned in other sources)
- The investigation involved a terror probe in a small rural town (Moree)
- The 15-year-old was charged after a mobile phone, ballistic-style vest, and notebooks were seized
- The 15-year-old was arrested at 10am on 28 March and taken to Moree police station
- The 16-year-old was arrested later that morning (28 March) and charged with using a carriage service to possess violent extremist material
- The 15-year-old was charged with using a carriage service to transmit violent extremist material and knowingly collecting or making a document connected with terrorism
- The 16-year-old was charged with using a carriage service to possess violent extremist material
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states the teens are due to appear in Parramatta Childrenās Court on Friday, but Newscomaul says Saturday
- Newscomaul_1 states the raid occurred on 27 March (Friday), while the Guardian and Newscomaul_2 state it occurred on 27 March but the second raid was on 28 March (Thursday)
- The Guardian mentions the 15-year-old was charged with knowingly collecting and making documents connected with terrorism, but Newscomaul_1 does not mention this charge
- Newscomaul_1 states the 15-year-old was charged with possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit, but the Guardian does not specify this charge explicitly
- Newscomaul_1 states the raid occurred in the North West Plains region, while the Guardian and Newscomaul_2 state Moree
Source Articles
Two NSW teenagers charged over violent extremist material allegedly linked to terror
Police say they found a ballistic-style vest, several notebooks and literature they allege contained extremist references Two New South Wales teenagers have been charged with allegedly possessing viol...
Teen found with violent extremist material
A 15-year-old boy has allegedly been found with violent extremist material following a tip off to police....
Teens arrested over terror probe
Two teenagers are behind bars on remand after a ballistic-style vest and extremist literature was seized at a remote rural town....