Australian teen cleared of plotting terror attack on Peter Dutton
A 17-year-old boy has been found not guilty of preparing a terrorist act against then opposition leader Peter Dutton and a Labour Day march, with the court accepting the defense's argument that his actions and statements were an 'edgy joke' and the product of mental health issues.
A teenager accused of planning nailbomb attacks targeting then opposition leader Peter Dutton and a Labour Day march has been acquitted of preparing a terrorist act. The jury in the Supreme Court in Brisbane delivered its verdict on Thursday after two days of deliberations. The boy, now 17, cannot be identified for legal reasons. He was around 16 when he rode his scooter through Brisbane suburbs in July 2024 to buy nails, metal pipes, and explosive ingredients, the trial heard.
During the trial, the jury was shown dozens of text messages, online posts, and handwritten diary entries detailing the teen's fixation on infamous terrorists such as the Oklahoma City bomber and the Christchurch mosque shooter. In one diary entry, he wrote: "I think I've gained an autistic interest in bombs but it's going to be tough to shake it off." He also texted a friend about a fictional terrorist attack from the film 'Fight Club' where buildings are blown up.
Defense barrister Laura Reece told the jury that the teen engaged in "clearly dangerous experimentation" with household chemicals. The court heard he used his iPhone and laptop to search for "where is Peter Dutton located" as part of an alleged plan to oppose the Liberal party's then policy of building multiple nuclear power stations in Australia. When a friend texted "Who are you trying to kill?" the teen replied: "Members of the Liberal party."
However, the central issue was the teen's state of mind. Reece argued he was a "troubled kid" experimenting not only with explosives but also with ideas and beliefs from contradictory extremist sources on the dark corners of the internet. She said he wrote about serious mental health symptoms and was affected by his parents' separation. Regarding his text about bombing the Labour Day parade, which typically draws 20,000 people, Reece claimed it was an "edgy joke."
Crown prosecutor Sally Flynn alleged the planned bombing campaign aimed to highlight the argument that humanity was worse off with modern industries and technology. The court also heard that the teen was obsessed with a fictional group of wild west outlaws from the video game 'Red Dead Redemption 2'.
