‘Radicalised’ youth suspected of plotting Mother’s Day slaughter

Police believe they thwarted a Mother’s Day massacre with the arrest of a 17-year-old at his family’s home in Melbourne’s north.

It is understood police seized three pipe bombs from the youth’s bedroom.

They were taken to a local park and detonated by the Victoria police bomb squad.

A computer and other material were also seized.

Police conducted Friday’s raid at the Greenvale family home after learning an attack was allegedly planned for yesterday.

The exact target was unknown, but Australian federal police and Victoria police decided on Thursday to enter the ‘‘arrest phase’’ because of the ‘‘imminent danger’’ to the public.

‘‘This matter has been subject to an intense investigation, especially over the last nine days,’’ said Victoria police Acting Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill.

‘‘On Thursday afternoon an agreement was reached that we would resolve this matter with direct action.’’

Crude pipe bombs are designed to explode in a ball of shrapnel, creating maximum damage in crowded areas.

‘‘They were very rudimentary but that doesn’t really matter because at the end of the day and explosion is an explosion,’’ Australian federal police Deputy Commissioner Mike Phelan said.

Police don’t know if there were three Mother’s Day targets, one selected location, or if some of the bombs were to be used against emergency service responders.

‘‘The number one priority is always community safety so if it means we have to act early to save people’s lives that’s indeed what we are going to do,’’ Phelan said.

Authorities said there was no evidence the plan was linked to last month’s alleged Anzac Day terror plot, and declined to comment on whether the teenager acted alone. Police are now investigating associates of the teenager, as it is considered unlikely he was acting alone.

The youth, who cannot be named, is believed to have been radicalised quickly, having recently dropped out of school and spent increasing amounts of time in his bedroom on the internet.

A computer and other material were also seized from his home.

He has been charged with two terror-related offences and will appear in court today.