Breaking: Teen charged with violent extremist offences allegedly planned school attack

Queensland Police say a 13-year-old boy charged with violent extremist offences posed an "imminent threat" to a local school. In a press conference on Monday, Acting Detective Superintendent Jason Hindmarsh said the boy from Queensland's Fraser Coast was "quite well advanced" in his planning. Police arrested the teenager on May 28 after being called to a business on Saltwater Creek Road in Maryborough following reports of a person with a knife. The boy was taken into custody and dealt with under the Youth Justice Act over one count of attempting to enter premises with intent, going armed so as to cause fear and making threats. Following further investigations, detectives from the Counter Terrorism Investigation Group searched a Maryborough home on Saturday and seized an electronic device. Police said he was later charged with one count each of preparation or planning to cause death or grievous bodily harm and possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained or accessed using a carriage of service. Acting Detective Superintendent Hindmarsh said police were not alleging it would have been a terrorist attack. "It's too early to say if there was an ideological, religious or political motivation," he said. "We've got counterterrorism investigators returning to Maryborough tomorrow. "We'll be working in partnership with local frontline police, [and] our child protection services, to make the community feel safe and for us to be certain there's no ongoing threat." The boy remains in custody. He is due to appear in the Hervey Bay Children's Court on Friday. Police said there was no ongoing threat to the public and investigations were ongoing. Loading