Australian Federal Police Say Minors Make Up 40% of Active Counterterrorism Cases

Australian Federal Police say minors account for 40% of active joint counterterrorism cases this year, as officers warn about young people's exposure to extremist material online. Counterterrorism Commander Paula Hudson said 37 youths had been prosecuted for counterterrorism offences since 2020, including 32 arrested and prosecuted in the past two years. Hudson said: “Recently we're seeing a spike in our youth caseload which is really concerning for us.” She said AFP research examining 55 cases involving children aged 12 to 17 found that every young person had been radicalised wholly or partly online. Hudson named TikTok, Instagram, Discord and Roblox among mainstream platforms where young people encounter extremist content. She said material can combine Islamic extremism, neo-Nazism and nihilism rather than one clear ideology. According to Hudson, some cases move beyond consuming material to writing manifestos, selecting targets or planning violence. She said legislation introduced in 2024 had helped police intervene earlier against accessing or sharing violent extremist material, without needing to prove a physical attack was being actively planned. Hudson urged families, educators and community groups to watch for withdrawal, hateful speech and changes in online behaviour. Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett met technology executives this year to discuss safety in platform design and reducing online radicalisation.