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Terror arrests: Teens ‘have links to Islamic State’
OCTOBER 13, 20164:04PM

Cath Burns addresses media over terror raids

LAURA BANKS and DAVID MEDDOWSThe Daily Telegraph
THE teenage son of a convicted terrorist, who was arrested yesterday before allegedly carrying out a beheading plot, told his mother he would do “something bigger” than the Parramatta attack in the days after Curtis Cheng’s death.

The teen, 16, was captured on a police intercept telling his mother in October last year: “When they come, I am going to do something to them that they have never seen before.

“I am going to do something bigger.”

Police allege he was drawing a “direct comparison” between him and teen terrorist Farhad Jabar, who shot dead Mr Cheng outside Parramatta Police Headquarters.

A woman, believed to be the mother of one of the accused, leaves court. Picture: John Grainger
A woman, believed to be the mother of one of the accused, leaves court. Picture: John GraingerSource:News Corp Australia
One of the youths leaves Bankstown police station just before 4am today.
One of the youths leaves Bankstown police station just before 4am today.Source:News Corp Australia
Police will also allege he was in possession of a handwritten note that pledged his allegiance to Islamic State, the court documents confirm.

The teens did not appear in Parramatta Children’s Court this morning and did not apply for bail. It was formally refused.

The court heard the teens allegedly bought two M9 bayonets.
The court heard the teens allegedly bought two M9 bayonets.Source:News Corp Australia
The were both granted leave to apply for bail at any stage prior to their next court appearance on December 7, provided they give the court 48 hours notice.

Court documents state the pair allegedly purchased two M9 bayonets in Bankstown between 11.30am and 12.15pm yesterday, and had done so allegedly in preparation for a terrorist attack.

Bankstown Terror Arrests

The documents also state that in that action, they allegedly “intentionally” became a member of Islamic State.

One of the teens allegedly travelled overseas and was stopped by authorities when he tried to enter “a region that is controlled by an internationally recognised terror group”.

Upon his return to Australia, he was allegedly found in possession of electronic Islamic State literature.

Police arresting the two teens in Bankstown yesterday. Picture: Seven News
Police arresting the two teens in Bankstown yesterday. Picture: Seven NewsSource:Supplied
The other teen, who is the son of a convicted terrorist, was a participant in the 2012 Hyde Park protests.

At a press conference today, Acting NSW Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said the age of the accused in this case is of concern.

“We will be alleging this attack was inspired by Islamic State. The charge that relates to membership of an organisation, we will allude to their association or allegiance with Islamic State,” Ms Burn said.

An investigator talks to one of the accused teens. Source: Seven News
An investigator talks to one of the accused teens. Source: Seven NewsSource:Channel 7
The other teen is arrested by police. Picture: Seven News
The other teen is arrested by police. Picture: Seven NewsSource:Channel 7
While Ms Burn wouldn’t confirm the two boys were on the terror watchlist, she did say they were on the Joint Counter-terrorism Team’s radar.

“We were well aware of these two 16-year-olds and, again, I can’t say a great deal about them and I clearly can’t identify them but we have been aware of them,” she said.

“We have been concerned about them. We have been undertaking what you would expect we would undertake with people that we have concerns about in the world of counter-terrorism.”

The arrests took place behind a mosque in Bankstown.
The arrests took place behind a mosque in Bankstown.Source:The Daily Telegraph
Investigators believe the pair had become radicalised

“I think that they probably had some degrees of radicalisation from potentially radicalised peers,” Ms Burn said.

“We know they have connections with people who are radicalised and who are of concern to us.”

A family member of one of the boys arrives at Bankstown Police Station yesterday.
A family member of one of the boys arrives at Bankstown Police Station yesterday.Source:News Corp Australia
That these two boys are so young is a worry for anti-terror police who are seeing in an increase in the number of radicalised teenagers.

“The age of these two individuals at the age of 16 is unbelievable concern to us. We are seeing it time and time again,” Ms Burn said.

“It’s up to the parents, really, to try to do everything they can to make sure those signs of radicalisation at an early stage are addressed.”

Ms Burn said yesterday’s arrests marked the 11th imminent attack prevented in the country, but warned the threat for a probable attack was real.

“We can’t guarantee that we can necessarily prevent everything,” she said