CANBERRA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- A teenager from Australia's Northern Territory (NT) has been charged with terrorism and firearms offenses, authorities said on Thursday.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP), NT police force and Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) said in a statement that the teenager from the capital of Darwin was arrested on Wednesday following an investigation into violent extremist material suspected of being posted online by an Australian user.
The investigation found that the teenager was the operator of various social media accounts where he allegedly accessed, discussed and posted violent extremist material.
Investigators executed search warrants in Darwin on Wednesday, where they seized documents and electronic devices.
The teenager was subsequently charged with one count each of collecting or making documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act, possessing violent extremist material obtained using a carriage service and possessing or controlling firearms and explosives manufacturing material.
It will be alleged that investigators found instructional schematics for the manufacture of 3D-printed firearms and other documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act on the seized electronic devices.
AFP Counter Terrorism Commander Paula Hudson said that counter-terrorism police were becoming increasingly concerned about the number of young people coming to their attention.
"The speed and scale of radicalization is becoming one of our most significant challenges, especially when it comes to young people," she said.
The AFP's Deputy Commissioner of National Security Investigations, Sandra Booth, told a parliamentary inquiry earlier in October that AI is accelerating the pace at which young people can be radicalized or manipulated online. ■