Teenager denied bail in terrorism case

Australian suspect under surveillance for more than a year, had previously been convicted

A15-year-old charged over a terror plot used coded text messages to try and avoid detection, an Australian court heard as he was denied bail yesterday over fears he could commit serious crimes.

The teenager, who under Australian law cannot be named, was remanded in custody at Parramatta Children’s Court in Sydney after he was arrested in police raids on Thursday and charged with conspiracy to conduct an act in preparation for a terrorist act.

The court was told the suspect had been under surveillance for more than a year and had previously been convicted on firearm charges.

“There’s no doubt that if the risk were to materialise, the consequences for public safety would be extremely serious,” magistrate Elizabeth Ryan told the court in denying bail.

The police prosecutor had alleged the boy used “banana” as a code word in text messages to describe a gun. “I’m going to get to paradise through banana, God is great, no God but Allah,” said one message read out in court, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said.

The court was also shown photographs allegedly seized from the boy of an Daesh fighter and of a beheading by the extremist group.

The teenager was also the subject of raids in 2013 and 2014, and his psychologist told the court he was suffering from anxiety and depression as a result of the police visits.

Four other people were also charged on Thursday stemming from evidence gathered during predawn raids in Australia late last year.