17-year-old charged with terror offence over social media posts in Sydney

Xinhua News Agency

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A 17-year-old boy has been charged with a terrorism related offence, New South Wales (NSW) police said on Wednesday.

Police arrested the boy after being alerted to a number of social media posts.

He was taken to a police station in Sydney's south-west and charged at midnight on Tuesday.

Police said the boy was charged with one count of Acts in preparation for, or planning, a Terrorist Act, contrary to Section 101.6 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

He was also charged with using a telecommunications network with intention to commit a serious offence, contrary to section 474.14 Criminal Code Cth.

The boy will appear at a children's court in Sydney on Wednesday.

NSW police advised there was no threat to the community, and the matter was unrelated to other investigations undertaken by the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT).

Operation Appleby is an ongoing operation investigating persons suspected of being involved in domestic acts of terrorism, foreign incursions into Syria and Iraq and the funding of terrorist organisations.

(APD)