In short:
A 14-year-old boy has been accused of possessing extremist material and explosive instructions.
His legal representative asked for the teenager to be released on bail, telling the court there was no allegations he would act out the material content.
What’s next?
The magistrate remanded the boy in custody until next week pending a home detention report.
A teenager has faced the Adelaide Youth Court for allegedly accessing extremist material on electronic devices owned by his school.
The 14-year-old boy, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was arrested on Thursday following an investigation by detectives in the Counter Terrorism and Security Section.
The teenager has been charged with one count of use, possess, or supply explosive instructions, one count of possess document or record of information for terrorist acts and three counts of possession of extremist material.
Court documents allege the offences occurred on July 4.
On Friday, a lawyer for the teen asked the court for her client to be released on bail because he had no criminal history.
“The allegations while serious, there was no locations of weapons found or no allegations these would be acted out. In our submission, home detention bail is not necessary,” she said.
“He’s willing to comply to conditions of bail…however, these allegations by their nature are serious and it will take a lengthy time to complete such investigations.”
A police prosecutor said he did not oppose bail if the teen was released on home detention conditions to reside at his mother’s house.
“The allegations … pose, in my respectful submission, a real risk to the safety of the community,” he said.
“They are serious offences…home detention is a necessary condition to alleviate that risk to the community.
“I’m also asking for a condition he does not possess any electronic device…there is an allegation the material is being accessed at school.”
The police prosecutor said the 14-year-old was hoping to attend school on Monday.
Police scouring social media
He also asked for a suppression order on the alleged offending on the basis they did not want to “inflame” the situation.
“The reporting of the nature of the charges may inflame the situation in relation to this young person…it may further isolate the person,” he told the court.
Magistrate Tracee Ann Micallef denied the application.
The police prosecutor said investigations resulted in the seizure of electronic devices belonging to the teen and said investigators were scouring several social media accounts for extremist material.
“I can indicate that the matter is in its infancy of investigation, there’s a great deal of material that needs to be reviewed in relation to messages over social media,” he said.
Ms Micallef ordered a home detention report to assess the appropriateness of the bail address and to deem whether the young teenager would be able to successful attend school without accessing electronic devices.
The 14-year-old boy will appear in court next week where his suitability for home detention bail will be assessed.