The 17-year-old who broke through a fence at Victoria’s second-largest airport and was allegedly holding a shotgun as he attempted to board a commercial flight may have communicated with a foreign element before the event, counter-terrorism police say.
As part of their investigation, they are examining whether the boy, who is from regional Ballarat, may have communicated with a foreigner or foreign entity over the March 6 incident, when he allegedly climbed through a hole in a fence at Avalon Airport, near Geelong—about 90 minutes drive from Melbourne—before walking up to the aircraft around 2.20 p.m.
Police say he tried to climb the front stairs into the plane cabin but was noticed by passengers and subsequently overpowered by three civilians. The plane, Jetstar flight 610 from Avalon to Sydney, was carrying about 160 people.
The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was originally charged with 12 Victorian offences, but a Children’s Court hearing on March 21 was told he is facing further federal charges. He did not appear.
Bomb Threats, Hijacking Alleged
Police had previously alleged he made bomb threats, placed a fake bomb, and had stolen two 12-gauge shotguns and a rifle from a property in Tourello, north of Ballarat.The accused is said to have stated, “I’ve got bombs in my bag,” and police claimed it could be inferred he intended to “destroy, damage, or endanger the safety of the aircraft, or kill or injure all or any of the persons on board.”
Police will claim he tried to “take or exercise control, whether direct or through another person” of the aircraft.
He is also charged with possessing cartridge ammunition and a registered category B firearm without the appropriate licences, and being a learner driver who drove unsupervised on Beach Road.
Lawyers for the Australian Federal Police successfully applied for a suppression order covering several aspects of the case, including the identity of the foreigners, as well as the nature or content of the boy’s communications, based on a secret affidavit to the court written by counter-terrorism Commander Nicholas Read. Details of that document were not discussed in open court.
Details of documents allegedly found in the accused’s vehicle have also been suppressed by Judge Jack Vandersteen.
According to the AFP’s lawyers, the suppression did not relate to evidence that might be brought against the accused. The Joint Counter Terrorism Team was investigating “whether there is a nexus to national security concerns” and “disclosing any lines of inquiry could make those dry up.”
The boy is due to return to the Children’s Court in April.
