Children now 40% of Australia's terror caseload as new Sydney hub tackles
Australia opened a new $76m centre in Sydney. Children now represent 40 per cent of the nation's counterterrorism cases.
The Counter Terrorism Online Centre opened in Sydney today, bringing the Australian Federal Police and ASIO together to identify and stop youth radicalisation before it turns violent. A sharp rise in children charged with terrorism offences prompted the move.
Extremists increasingly target young people on gaming platforms like Discord and Roblox. They pose as friends and slowly steer them towards violent ideology.
ASIO uncovered an Australian-based Discord server with more than 1,000 members. These members held nationalist, racist and incel beliefs.
When one user started discussing firearms, intelligence officers stepped in early and steered him away from violence. The centre will combine human investigators with AI to improve threat detection over the next two years.
- $76 million
- Centre cost
- 40 per cent this year
- Children in caseload
- 1,000+ members
- Discord server discovered
- Discord, Roblox
- Target platforms
Why it mattersYouth radicalisation can spread very quickly. Early detection and intervention prevent actual terrorist attacks and save lives.
AustraliaYoung Australians are being targeted in online spaces; this centre aims to protect them and reduce the number of Australian teenagers drawn into violent extremism.
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