Australian Children as Young as 12 Caught up in Online Terror Radicalization

Australia’s intelligence agency says the community needs to start watching for signs as an increasing number of young people are radicalized online.

By: Crystal-Rose Jones

Socially isolated young Australians are falling prey to online radicalization, research from a multi-national intelligence agency has revealed.

Two concerning Australian case studies were included in a recent report (pdf) from Five Eyes nations—a multinational intelligence agency that includes Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, and New Zealand.

It is the first time the Five Eyes has authored a joint analysis of youth radicalization alongside law enforcement agencies.

The Five Eyes report said there was increasing concern about the online radicalization of minors and minors who support, plan, or undertake terrorist activities.

 

Teen Planned Attack

In one Australian case study, a 16-year-old had urged members of their extremist online community to prepare for a war to defend the white race, while promoting ideas including a mass killing offshore, live-streaming a shooting on Facebook, and requesting help with bomb-making.

The teen was found to have had very few real-world relationships and did not participate in activities or socialize outside of the online realm.

The minor was ultimately sentenced to 18 months in prison, with a 14-month non-parole period.

 

School Shooting Planned

Meanwhile, in another case, a 14-year-old had adhered to extremist ideology, expressing strong admiration for terrorists and posting related content on Snapchat before planning a school shooting.

The teen had boasted on Snapchat of planning a shooting at their high school, and that they had access to enough firearms and explosives to kill a large number of students.

A search warrant revealed the youth owned a tactical vest, ballistic helmet, and drawings “of an extremist nature.”

The teen was sentenced to a two-year good behavior bond, 12 months probation, and was assigned a case manager for support.

 

Youth Numbers Rising

Every terrorist attack or suspected terror activity in Australia during 2024 was conducted by a young person, according to Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) director-general Mike Burgess.

“As a parent, the numbers are shocking; as an intelligence officer, the numbers are sobering,” he said.

Extremists are using social media sites and gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord to attract and radicalize young people, according to the studies.

Findings were similar in all The Five Eyes nations.

The report highlights the need to recognize that minors can be just as capable as offenders as their adult counterparts.

“During the height of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) caliphate, agencies saw many young people and minors (those under 18 years) seeking to join ISIL, or undertake actions inspired by ISIL in their home nations,” a section of the report read.

“As our threat environments have diversified, security and law enforcement agencies from The Five Eyes… are collectively seeing minors of varying ideological affiliations in our investigations.

“In some cases, this has included minors mobilizing or planning to mobilize to violence in support of their radicalized ideologies.”

The reports state minors are capable of leading violent extremist groups, recruiting and radicalizing others, and undertaking terror attacks.

The Five Eyes has seen a rising number of young people featured in counter-terrorism cases.

“Many of those who are investigated as minors are also investigated into adulthood due to their violent extremist ideology, the report said.

“The fact that the Five Eyes have chosen youth radicalization for our first public research collaboration indicates how concerning, escalating, and pressing this challenge is,” ASIO’s Burgess said.

          (TheEpochTimes.com)