Five juveniles charged with terror offences after raids across Sydney

Some of the teenagers charged with terror offences allegedly had videos on their phones depicting beheadings conducted by Islamic State, people being run over with military equipment and instructions for making explosive devices, a court has heard.

Seven people, including five teenagers, were arrested after search warrants at 13 locations were executed in Sydney and Goulburn on Wednesday. Picture: NSW Police

Assaults on gay men allegedly committed by teens now accused of participating in a youth terror cell are to be re-examined by police for possible “religious motivations”.

Five children were charged on Wednesday as the Joint Counter Terrorism team continues investigating alleged associates of a teenage boy charged with stabbing an Assyrian Orthodox bishop in an alleged terrorist attack.

Investigators will allege some of the children had videos on their phone depicting beheadings conducted by Islamic State, people being run over with military equipment and instructions for making explosive devices.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal several of those youths were already before the courts on assault matters, with homosexual men understood to be the targets.

The arrests were made as part of a Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) Sydney investigation. Picture: NSW Police

Those cases are now being reviewed after the teens charged were discovered to have links to the 16-year-old boy charged over the Wakeley church terror attack.

Police sources said they are “looking at the cause” of those alleged assaults and that it could be months before an outcome of any investigation.

At Parramatta Children’s Bail Court on Thursday, a 14-year-old boy charged with possessing or controlling violent extremist material was granted bail before it was immediately stayed on appeal by a Commonwealth prosecutor.

The child will have to apply for bail again in the NSW Supreme Court as a result.

Commonwealth prosecutor Matthew Nelson told the court the boy’s phone allegedly contained material advocating violence towards homosexual men and graphic violence associated with notorious terror group Islamic State.

The moment an alleged teenage terrorist stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was captured on an online live stream.

“There are videos produced by Islamic State that depicts various acts of violence including beheadings, running people over with military equipment, with music and indicia of the Islamic State,” Mr Nelson told Magistrate Paul Mulroney.

Barrister Jehane Ghabrial told Mr Mulroney there was no evidence the boy – who is on bail for other offences – could even understand the material as he does not speak Arabic.

Ms Ghabrial further submitted there was no evidence the boy had ever accessed the items, noting anything sent to him may have automatically saved to his device.

“He clearly has material that is violent and extremist on his phone – distressing, reprehensible material that depicts the worst behaviour of humanity,” Mr Mulroney said.

“The material is awful … there is no evidence he has distributed it to any other person, and it’s not clear from where he received the material on what’s been presented to me.”

Investigators executed search warrants at 13 locations including Bankstown, Prestons, Casula, Lurnea, Rydalmere, Greenacre, Strathfield, Chester Hill, and Punchbowl. Picture: NSW Police

A 17-year-old boy also charged with possessing or controlling violent extremist material was refused bail after Mr Nelson alleged his phone contained videos of beheadings committed by Islamic State, material related to Hamas, and instructions for making explosive devices.

Their matters will next be mentioned on May 10.

A second 17-year-old boy charged with conspiring to engage in an act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act and custody of a knife in a public place will apply for bail on Tuesday.

Two boys aged 16 who were charged with conspiring to engage in any act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act did not apply for bail and their matters were adjourned to June 21.

The boys were arrested after the shocking alleged terror attack at the Assyrian Orthodox Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley on April 15.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with committing a terrorist act by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team after he allegedly stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel with a flick knife.

The 53-year-old bishop sustained significant head injuries, with others who came to his aid also suffering minor injuries.

The incident occurred during a service at the church which was being live-streamed online, resulting in shocking video footage spreading widely across social media.