Queensland teenager arrested after FBI tip-off into extremist social channels

A Queensland teenager has been arrested after a long investigation involving the FBI found he was allegedly promoting online extremist material via several social media channels.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) were given a report by the FBI that an Australian user was allegedly posting extremist content that advocated for violence against people of Muslim, Jewish and migrant backgrounds, as well as referencing terrorist attacks.

It is alleged that the 18-year-old from Warner, about 24km north of Brisbane, operated several social media channels where this content was shared.

Police searched his home on May 27 this year and seized several electronic devices, which allegedly contained several files of violent extremist material, as well as child abuse material.

The teenager was charged with multiple offences, including 14 counts of using a carriage service to transmit violent extremist material.

For the violent extremist material offences, the 18-year-old could face up to five years’ imprisonment if found guilty, while the child abuse material offences have a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment if found guilty.

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The boy initially appeared in front of Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on May 27, and was remanded in custody.

He is set to appear in the same court again on Friday.

FBI Law Enforcement Attaché Ryan Maxwell, based at the US Embassy in Canberra, said he valued the collaborative work the agency conducted with Australian authorities.

"We highly value our Australian Joint Counter Terrorism Taskforce partners' resolve to act quickly and decisively based on this lead information, and demonstrating our shared commitment to our communities to be proactive in countering online threat activity,” he said.

“As our adversaries become more agile across borders in the online space, so must we as law enforcement and intelligence agencies.”