Shocking reason a Sydney terror attack by a teen is ‘not a surprise’

Investigations are ongoing into whether the 16-year-old boy was radicalised online in the lead up to Monday night.

It is “not a surprise” a teenage attacker wielding a knife was allegedly responsible for a terror attack at a Sydney church, with experts saying ASIO has warned of the likelihood for years.

Investigations are ongoing into whether the 16-year-old boy, who remains in NSW Police custody after undergoing surgery for a severed finger sustained in the alleged attack, was radicalised online in the lead up.

Countering Violent Extremism practitioner Peta Lowe spent a number of years working with teens involved in extremism for Youth Justice NSW – many of who found themselves behind bars in juvenile centres for similar attacks in the mid 2010s.

She said that despite a “quiet” few years on the terror front in Australia, youths were always most likely to be responsible for attacks like the one on Monday night.

Footage of the incident was streamed across the world.

“It’s not surprising that we’ve seen this happen,” Ms Lowe told The Daily Telegraph.

“We’ve had a few quiet years, but our ASIO threats have said every year that if it occurs it will likely be a young person, an individual acting by themselves, and it will be low level in terms of sophistication – which is exactly what we’ve seen with a teenager (allegedly) using a knife to attack a Bishop.”

The teenager allegedly responsible for the live streamed attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel had in recent years been charged by NSW Police with knife offences.

Counter-terrorism expert Peta Lowe said a terror attack that was carried out by a youth and was “low level in terms of sophistication” had long been the biggest risk. Picture: Richard Dobson

He had also been kicked out of a school in Sydney’s west for bringing a knife to class.

Ms Lowe said she hoped that much in the same way NSW Premier Chris Minns announced an $18 million coronial inquest into the Bondi Junction Westfield attack by Joel Cauchi, that something more attention would be paid to youth extremism.

Particularly, she said, when it was easier than ever for them to access radical material online.

“It’s become much easier to connect young people, who didn’t even know they wanted to be radicalised, with extremist groups,” Ms Lowe said.

Police remained at the taped-off scene on Wednesday, as investigations continue. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

“Through online gaming, and with TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), you just have to interact with a post about something like the Palestinian and Israeli conflict and the algorithm means a few posts deep you’re invited to 4chan or an 8chan group.

“We spent $18 million on a coronial inquest into what happened at Bondi Junction, and I totally understand why, but surely then we should also put some investment in the youth space?

“Any risk is too much risk for us as a community.”

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Originally published as Shocking reason a Sydney terror attack by a teen is ‘not a surprise’