By Clare Sibthorpe and Jessica McSweeney
Two teenagers arrested in connection with the Wakeley church stabbing had graphic videos of Islamic State beheadings, with one also possessing bomb-making instructions, police allege.
A 14-year-old, who stopped attending school in 2022, is among the five young people charged with a range of terrorism and extremism offences after a 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel multiple times during a live-streamed service at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley on April 15.
Family members of one of the juveniles outside the Parramatta Children’s Court.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
Children’s Magistrate Paul Mulroney granted the 14-year-old boy bail with strict conditions, but a last-minute appeal application by the prosecution prevented his release from custody.
However, Mulroney refused a 17-year-old boy bail at Parramatta Local Court for allegedly possessing videos of Islamic State taking, beheading and killing hostages – as well as videos linked to Hamas and bomb-making material.
“There’s a video of a person in military fatigues who is providing instructions as to the making of explosion devices, and military personnel in active combat,” Mulroney said.
“It depicts extreme violence and also depicts methodologies for the commission of violent acts. In my view in this case it is not an easy decision, but bail should be refused.”
The teens were arrested after police seized electronic devices from the alleged church stabber’s home.
A supporter of the 14-year-old boy accused of possessing violent extremism material leaves Parramatta Children’s CourtCredit: Dion Georgopoulos
On Thursday morning, police charged the 14-year-old with possessing violent extremist material after allegedly finding the videos on his phone and arresting him at his Greenacre home at 2am on Wednesday.
One video allegedly showed graphic Islamic State beheadings and people being run over by military vehicles underneath terrorist symbolism and music, while the other contained violent homophobia.
Commonwealth prosecutor Matthew Nelson argued against the boy’s release on bail due to the videos’ alleged “incredibly serious violence”.
“It is quite varied in what it refers to in terms of different parts of the community … [the child’s age] reflects not a level of immaturity where they’re not aware of what is depicted,” he said.
A supporter of the 14-year-old boy accused of possessing violent extremism material leaves Parramatta Children’s Court.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
The child’s defence barrister, Jehane Ghabrial, argued police only accused the child of having been sent the videos, not that he disseminated them or viewed them.
She said the boy left school to work with his father, was educated in Australia, comes from a “moderate” religious background and had no prior criminal record.
She said he “has a limited understanding of Arabic,” the language used in the videos.
Police said they made the arrests after judging there was a threat to the people of NSW.Credit: NSW Police
Mulroney granted the child bail, after acknowledging the videos were “clearly extremist, violent, distressing and reprehensible”.
“The material is awful. It depicts the worst behaviour of humanity,” he said.
“But I do need to take into account there is no evidence he distributed the material to any other person. At this stage it is not clear how he received this material”.
Mulroney acknowledged the police alleged the material was of serious concern, but noted his age, lack of maturity and a “considerably reduced capacity to consider the consequences of their behaviour”.
“The material is awful … It depicts the worst behaviour of humanity.”
Magistrate Paul Mulroney
He said the child came from a stable family and was likely to be found guilty but unlikely to face a sentence of full-time jail if convicted.
He said strict bail conditions – including not leaving his house except with a parent or approval from a parent, and being barred from using social media – would help protect community safety.
However, just as the boy’s matter was about to end, the prosecutor advised the court of his intention to appeal, meaning the magistrate’s decision on bail was automatically stayed.
The child is to remain in custody until the application is made again in the NSW Supreme Court.
One of the teenagers arrested in Wednesday’s counter-terror operation.Credit: NSW Police
More than 400 officers from the Joint Counter-terrorism Team (JCTT) raided 13 locations across Sydney’s south-west on Wednesday, including addresses in Greenacre, Strathfield, Bankstown, Prestons, Casula, Lurnea, Rydalmere, Chester Hill and Punchbowl.
A location in Goulburn was also searched.
As well as the teenagers who faced court on Thursday, two 16-year-old boys were charged with conspiring to engage in any act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act. They made no bid for bail and their matters were adjourned to June 21.
A 17-year-old was hit with the same charge, as well as carrying a knife in a public place. He appeared in court from custody via audio-visual link dressed in a blue shirt. His lawyer made no bid for bail but indicated he would make one when the case returns to court next Tuesday.
The young people arrested in the Wednesday raids were all under surveillance by the JCTT following the Wakeley attack. The bishop suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and the teenager was charged with a Commonwealth terrorism offence.
Police say they were forced to move quickly on the young people who were under surveillance when it was determined the risk to the public was too great to continue watching them.
Hundreds of people swarmed the church as police arrived to take the alleged attacker into custody. More than 50 officers were injured, and police believe some in the riot had no connection to the church but arrived after word spread about the attack through social media.
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