New details emerge on teen suspect in Bunnings carpark stabbing
By
Seia Ibanez
- Replies 44
Content Warning: This article mentions graphic descriptions of violence, including stabbing. Reader discretion is advised.
In a quiet Perth suburb, a violent incident sparked involving a teenager who became embroiled in a disturbing narrative.
The stabbing in a Bunnings carpark by a 16-year-old boy, who was subsequently shot by police, has sent shockwaves through the city and raised alarms about the safety and well-being of our youth.
Before he stabbed a man and was shot by police, the ‘radicalised’ teen sent a message saying he was going ‘on the path of jihad’.
He shared the message on social media, prompting members of Perth's Islamic community to alert the police.
‘Brothers, please forgive me for any time I have wronged you, I am going on the path of jihad tonight for the sake of Allah,’ the boy, who had reportedly converted to Islam, wrote.
‘I am a soldier of the mujahideen of Al-Qaeda and take responsibility for the actions that will... take place tonight.’
‘If you have any illegal or jihadi things online or in real life, please make sure to hide them well and clear your technology such as laptops and phones, including search history... as the police will likely look into my contacts.’
The teenager, who had been part of a 'deradicalisation' program for over two years, had reportedly converted to Islam after being radicalised online.
He had been known to police since he was 14 and had mental health issues.
The incident, which occurred late on a Saturday night, 4 May, in Willetton Bunnings, ended with the assailant being neutralised by police firearms after Tasers failed to subdue him.
The victim of the stabbing is now in a stable condition at Royal Perth Hospital.
The boy's actions prior to the attack have brought to light a disturbing attempt to influence his peers at Rossmoyne Senior High School in Perth.
Parents have come forward with accounts of a 'group of boys' trying to ‘indoctrinate’ their children, prompting the involvement of the Australian Federal Police and the state's Department of Education.
Assistant Commissioner Colonel Blanch of the Western Australia Police Force confirmed the teenager's involvement in a national program designed to steer individuals away from violent extremism.
Yet, despite the incident bearing the 'hallmarks' of a terrorist attack, Commissioner Blanch stopped short of labelling it as such, citing the absence of a broader network at this stage.
‘I believe this is a person acting alone. I don’t need additional capability at this time whilst it meets the criteria or at least the definition,’ Commissioner Blanch said.
‘It would be too early for me to act now because I don’t have the concerns of a broader network that might be involved at this stage.’
After the attack, Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie was ‘terribly concerned’ about online radicalisation.
She suggested the idea of ‘putting fully qualified psychiatrists or psychologists in our schools’.
‘Maybe looking at reducing the chaplains program because I’m not sure that that is helpful either,’ she said
‘The older they are... the more desensitised they’ve become because of social media platforms.’
‘You’ve got to have them in person out there. You cannot run a program to [de-radicalise] someone over the internet... It is never going to work with these kids.’
The community's response has been one of unified condemnation and concern.
Perth's largest mosque, the Nasir Mosque, through Imam Syed Wadood Janud, expressed shock and a strong denouncement of violence.
‘The whole community is shook, and we are all concerned regarding the perpetrators’ online radicalisation that early reports are hinting towards,’ said Imam Syed Wadood Janud.
‘There is no place for violence in Islam. We appreciate the effort of the police to keep our communities safe. I also want to commend the local Muslim community who had flagged the individual prior with the police.’
You can watch 7NEWS’ coverage below:
Credit: 7NEWS Australia / YouTube
This event comes on the heels of another stabbing in Sydney, where Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was attacked during a sermon.
That incident, too, involved a 16-year-old and was declared a terrorist incident.
We at the Seniors Discount Club extend our heartfelt thoughts to the victim and their family.
In a quiet Perth suburb, a violent incident sparked involving a teenager who became embroiled in a disturbing narrative.
The stabbing in a Bunnings carpark by a 16-year-old boy, who was subsequently shot by police, has sent shockwaves through the city and raised alarms about the safety and well-being of our youth.
Before he stabbed a man and was shot by police, the ‘radicalised’ teen sent a message saying he was going ‘on the path of jihad’.
He shared the message on social media, prompting members of Perth's Islamic community to alert the police.
‘Brothers, please forgive me for any time I have wronged you, I am going on the path of jihad tonight for the sake of Allah,’ the boy, who had reportedly converted to Islam, wrote.
‘I am a soldier of the mujahideen of Al-Qaeda and take responsibility for the actions that will... take place tonight.’
‘If you have any illegal or jihadi things online or in real life, please make sure to hide them well and clear your technology such as laptops and phones, including search history... as the police will likely look into my contacts.’
The teenager, who had been part of a 'deradicalisation' program for over two years, had reportedly converted to Islam after being radicalised online.
He had been known to police since he was 14 and had mental health issues.
The incident, which occurred late on a Saturday night, 4 May, in Willetton Bunnings, ended with the assailant being neutralised by police firearms after Tasers failed to subdue him.
The victim of the stabbing is now in a stable condition at Royal Perth Hospital.
The boy's actions prior to the attack have brought to light a disturbing attempt to influence his peers at Rossmoyne Senior High School in Perth.
Parents have come forward with accounts of a 'group of boys' trying to ‘indoctrinate’ their children, prompting the involvement of the Australian Federal Police and the state's Department of Education.
Assistant Commissioner Colonel Blanch of the Western Australia Police Force confirmed the teenager's involvement in a national program designed to steer individuals away from violent extremism.
Yet, despite the incident bearing the 'hallmarks' of a terrorist attack, Commissioner Blanch stopped short of labelling it as such, citing the absence of a broader network at this stage.
‘I believe this is a person acting alone. I don’t need additional capability at this time whilst it meets the criteria or at least the definition,’ Commissioner Blanch said.
‘It would be too early for me to act now because I don’t have the concerns of a broader network that might be involved at this stage.’
After the attack, Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie was ‘terribly concerned’ about online radicalisation.
She suggested the idea of ‘putting fully qualified psychiatrists or psychologists in our schools’.
‘Maybe looking at reducing the chaplains program because I’m not sure that that is helpful either,’ she said
‘The older they are... the more desensitised they’ve become because of social media platforms.’
‘You’ve got to have them in person out there. You cannot run a program to [de-radicalise] someone over the internet... It is never going to work with these kids.’
The community's response has been one of unified condemnation and concern.
Perth's largest mosque, the Nasir Mosque, through Imam Syed Wadood Janud, expressed shock and a strong denouncement of violence.
‘The whole community is shook, and we are all concerned regarding the perpetrators’ online radicalisation that early reports are hinting towards,’ said Imam Syed Wadood Janud.
‘There is no place for violence in Islam. We appreciate the effort of the police to keep our communities safe. I also want to commend the local Muslim community who had flagged the individual prior with the police.’
You can watch 7NEWS’ coverage below:
Credit: 7NEWS Australia / YouTube
This event comes on the heels of another stabbing in Sydney, where Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was attacked during a sermon.
That incident, too, involved a 16-year-old and was declared a terrorist incident.
Key Takeaways
- A 'radicalised' teenager in Perth was shot by police after stabbing a man in a Bunnings carpark, having spent over two years in a deradicalisation program.
- The teen had attempted to indoctrinate other students at his school and was known to have mental health issues and a history with the police from a young age.
- The stabbed man is in stable condition at Royal Perth Hospital; law enforcement has not yet classified the incident as a terrorist attack despite it having the 'hallmarks' of one.
- The attack has been condemned by Perth's largest mosque, pointing out that violence has no place in Islam and highlighting the local Muslim community's prior actions in flagging the individual to the police.