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E-mail Xinhua, April 25, 2024
SYDNEY, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Australian police announced on Thursday that five juveniles have been charged, with a joint counter-terrorism force continuing to investigate the associates of the alleged offender who conducted the stabbing at a Sydney church.
At about 11:15 a.m. local time on Wednesday, investigators executed 13 search warrants across several suburbs in Sydney's southwest, including Bankstown, Prestons, Casula, Lurnea, Rydalmere, Greenacre, Strathfield, Chester Hill, and Punchbowl, as well as a property in Goulburn.
With more than 400 police officers involved, the operation concluded with the arrest of seven juvenile males. A further five people, including two men and three male teenagers, assisted police with their inquiries.
Two males, aged 17 and 14, were charged with possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained or accessed using a carriage service.
Two other males, both aged 16, faced the charge of conspiring to engage in any act in preparation for or planning a terrorist act.
A 17-year-old male was charged with conspiring to engage in an act in preparation for or planning a terrorist act and custody of a knife in a public place.
According to the New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF), all five were refused bail and expected to appear before a Children's Court on Thursday.
On April 15, police received calls about a stabbing at a Wakeley church at about 7:10 p.m. local time, where a 53-year-old religious leader was found with significant wounds to his head.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested at the scene and later charged with committing a terrorist act, an offense that could carry a maximum penalty of life-long imprisonment.
Following the terrorist incident, NSWPF Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said that several associates were identified with adherence to "a religiously motivated violent extremist ideology."
Partner agencies, such as the NSWPF and the Australian Federal Police, decided to ramp up their activities and conduct the search warrants on Wednesday. Enditem
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