Vic teens ‘planned beheading’
Two Melbourne teenagers allegedly planned to run down a Victorian police officer, behead him and take his weapon to go on a violent rampage until they were both dead, a Melbourne court has been told.
Prosecutor Andrew Doyle read the allegations against Harun Causevic during the 18-year-old’s bail application in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Causevic, who the court had previously been told was being kept in the maximum security unit of Barwon Prison, is charged with conspiring to commit a terrorist act with 18-year-old Sevdet Ramden Besim that allegedly targeted Anzac Day celebrations in Melbourne.
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Mr Doyle said Causevic had conducted reconnaissance at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance, and on law enforcement officers.
He had in his possession knives, a tactical vest, a pledge of allegiance to Islamic State and the Shahada flag, the court heard.
Mr Doyle said the two young men allegedly decided a Melbourne terror plot was to be carried out if they could not obtain passports.
Magistrate Suzie Cameron Causevic was told Causevic applied for a passport on March 2.
Federal police officer Denis Scott read to the court examples of communications between Besim and a 14-year-old UK boy, who is also facing terror-related charges.
During their communications, Besim allegedly indicated he had access to a machete.
The UK teen allegedly responded: “Sharpen that as hard as you can, then run police over and decapitate”.
Besim allegedly replied: “That sounds like a plan”, Mr Scott told the court.
Mr Scott told the court Causevic posed a risk to the general public and law enforcement officers if released on bail.
“They’re motivated by an extreme ideology. They’ve expressed support for a proscribed terrorist group,” Mr Scott said of Causevic and Besim.
He said they were willing to die and had weapons in their possession.
Defence barrister Michael O’Connell questioned Mr Scott about transcripts of the communication between Besim and the British boy, who told Besim he wants him to act as a “lone wolf” and Besim replied “okay”.
“There’s no evidence that in any specific way Besim communicated what he’d been told by the UK male,” Mr O’Connell said.
Mr Scott said there was not.
Causevic is a young man who turned 18 in January, has a mainstream Islamic background, and no prior convictions, Mr O’Connell said.
He said the allegations against Besim were very serious, but there was no evidence Causevic wanted to die.