Teen ‘inspired by Unabomber, targeted Dutton for bomb’

A teenager accused of plotting a terror attack targeted schools and then-opposition leader Peter Dutton for nail-filled pipe bombs, a jury has heard.

The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to committing an act of preparation for a terrorist attack and is on trial in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

Crown prosecutor Sally Flynn told the jury on Tuesday the boy was about to turn 16 in July 2024 when he rode his scooter through the suburbs of Brisbane to buy nails, metal pipes and explosive materials.

The boy texted a friend: “The dollar store is closed so I can’t buy nails.”

“I went near the train tracks and tested the flammability of a gas can.”

The teenager used his iPhone and laptop to shout “Where’s Peter Dutton?” as part of his claim to use the bombings to oppose the Liberal Party’s policy of building multiple nuclear power plants in Australia. he searched.

“Who are you trying to kill?” The young man’s friend sent a message.

“Members of the Liberal Party,” the youth replied.

When asked why, the young man replied: “I don’t want a nuclear power plant an hour away from here.”

The jury heard the teenager also wrote in a diary about his plans.

“There’s an entry on June 11, 2024… ‘I thought I should target education systems with bombs instead of the libs,'” Ms. Flynn said.

The jury heard the teenager reconsidered his plan to attack a Labor Day parade of 20,000 people in Brisbane because the bomb was not powerful enough.

The teenager texted a friend: “I don’t know if I’ll do the bomb and the Labor Day parade.”

“It would be better if I had nails like shrapnel.”

Ms Flynn said the teenager was inspired by US domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber.

The prosecutor claimed that the purpose of the planned bombing campaign was to draw attention to the claim that humanity is worse off due to modern industries and technology.

The teenager is alleged to have sought information on the Port Arthur massacre shooter and downloaded video of the Christchurch mosque attacks that killed 51 people.

He is also alleged to have told his mother a few days before his arrest that he wanted to kill people after finding a stash of knives and chemicals.

The jury will hear opening arguments on Tuesday.

His friend, who texted the young man about the bombs, is also expected to testify.