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Teenager accused of kangaroo terror plot on Anzac Day

A Melbourne teenager accused of terror offences allegedly discussed packing a kangaroo with explosives, painting it with an Islamic State symbol and setting it loose on police officers.

Sevdet Ramadan Besim, 19, of Hallam, is also accused of plotting an Anzac Day terror attack in Melbourne that would have included beheading a police officer.

He was committed to trial in the Supreme Court on Thursday after pleading not guilty to four charges.

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These include conducting internet searches of Anzac Day in Melbourne and Dandenong, engaging in communications and creating an electronic memo on his phone – all in preparation for a terrorist act.

Besim initially faced five charges, but Commonwealth prosecutor Andrew Doyle withdrew one when Besim appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Besim is accused of planning to run over, then behead, a police officer.

He allegedly said he was “ready to fight these dogs on there (sic) doorstep” in online communications with a person overseas, according to court documents.

Sevet Ramdan Besim was remanded in custody to re-appear at court on Friday.

Sevdet Ramadan Besim. Photo: AAP

“I’d love to take out some cops,” Besim is alleged to have said.

“I was gonna meet with them then take some heads ahaha.”

Police say the pair, on a later occasion, also talked generally about Australian wildlife, with a suggestion that a kangaroo could be packed with explosives, painted with “the IS symbol” and set loose on officers.

While police did not go into details of the symbol, the image mostly closely linked to IS is the Black Banner or Standard.

Documents before the court do not suggest the alleged kangaroo discussion was linked to Anzac Day, or any other target.

Besim has been in custody since April 18 when 200 heavily armed officers swooped on the city’s southeast, arresting five teens and seizing knives and swords.

Police say he is motivated by an extremist ideology and has expressed support for proscribed terrorist organisations, particularly IS, which adopt a radical interpretation of Islam.

The dropped charge was one count of conspiring to do an act in preparation for or planning a terror act, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Besim is due to face a directions hearing next week.

-AAP

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