A Brisbane private schoolboy has been accused of plotting terrorist attacks against the Liberal party and Brisbane’s Labour Day march in 2024, allegedly influenced by the Unabomber. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 16 at the time of his arrest by counter-terrorism police in 2024.
He allegedly prepared or planned a terrorist attack, using over-the-counter chemicals to target premises or individuals associated with the Liberal Party of Australia. Additionally, he reportedly made plans to bomb the 2024 Labour Day march, including drawing an image of an explosion at Boundary Road along its route, the court heard.
Justice Sean Cooper was informed that the teenager referred to his alleged terrorist plans as his “little future project.” The teenager pleaded not guilty in Queensland Supreme Court on Monday morning, and a jury of 14 was empanelled.
Commonwealth prosecutor Sue Flynn told the court that he had researched bomb-making, purchased chemicals, and tested explosives in preparation for an attack. He also communicated for months about terrorism, bombs, and explosives. Flynn alleged the attack was intended to further an anti-capitalist, anti-technology ideology similar to that of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.
The court heard that he repeatedly communicated with friends about Kaczynski, who conducted a 17-year letter bombing campaign that killed three people. Kaczynski ended his terrorist campaign in 1995 after publishing his manifesto, “Industrial Society and Its Future,” which criticized the Industrial Revolution and advocated violence to spread its message. He was captured by police in 1996.
The teenager told friends in a TikTok message that “the Unabomber was right” and shared numerous memes and messages about Kaczynski, including his death in prison in 2023. Flynn noted that the Brisbane teenager had a copy of the 35,000-word essay and wrote and updated his own manifesto with similar themes.
His manifesto stated that society was failing due in part to “the technological system.” He wrote, “Ever since its disastrous advancement from the 20th century, it has been a main producer for today’s societal problems. The other main producer of society’s issues is man’s greed and capitalistic ideals, which is shown time and time again throughout history to cause wars, genocides, loss of life, famines, loss of autonomy, etc.”
The prosecutor said she would call University of London terrorism professor Andrew Silke, who will testify that the defendant was influenced by Kaczynski’s argument that violence was an acceptable way to further his anti-technology ideology. “We need to mail bombs to people who have high influence on the industrial society,” the defendant said in one message to friends, the court heard.
The defendant also allegedly had copies of a bomb-making guide. He was arrested in August 2024 after one of his friends contacted Queensland police. Police allegedly discovered ingredients for a bomb in a bin while executing a warrant at his mother’s house.
He is charged with one count of committing acts done in preparation for or planning terrorist offences between 23 March 2024 and 29 July 2024. The court will hear the rest of Flynn’s opening argument on Tuesday, before defence lawyer Laura Reece gives her opening argument. The trial is expected to run for about 10 days.
