Australia, 16-year-old charged over bomb plot targeting Peter Dutton’s home
Brisbane, Australia – A 16-year-old has been formally charged with plotting a terrorist attack against Peter Dutton, the federal opposition leader. The alleged plan involved using a drone to deliver explosives to Dutton’s private residence in Brisbane’s outer suburbs. The incident occurred in August 2024 but has only now come to light as the trial begins in Queensland’s Supreme Court. If convicted, the teen faces life imprisonment.
The plan was disrupted before it could be executed, thanks to the intervention of the Australian Federal Police, who arrested the suspect during the preparation phase. “I’ve never stopped doing my job, and I won’t now,” Dutton told reporters, assuring that the incident won’t affect his campaign ahead of the 3 May federal election.
An election campaign under pressure
The attempted attack comes in the middle of a tense election season. Dutton leads the conservative Coalition, formed by the Liberal and National parties, and is the key challenger to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, leader of the centre-left Australian Labor Party, in office since 2022.
Dutton has built his message around national security, immigration control and law enforcement, drawing on his past roles as Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration.
Parliamentary security has become a major concern. According to the Australian Federal Police, over 1,000 threats were recorded against politicians during the 2023–24 financial year. Albanese himself disclosed he had been the target of “a very serious incident,” though gave no further details.
Who is the suspect: youth extremism and online radicalisation
Authorities have released little information about the teen’s identity. Investigators say the youth showed signs of radicalisation via extremist digital content. He is believed to have been drawn into a fluid online space steeped in anti-government and conspiratorial narratives, combining violent rhetoric with deep distrust of democratic institutions.
While no formal affiliation to an organised group has been confirmed, the leading theory is that the teen acted under the influence of anarcho-communist inspired online material.
The case has reignited debate around youth exposure to digital propaganda and the urgent need to strengthen monitoring and prevention systems—especially on the eve of a national vote seen as critical for Australia’s democratic resilience.
Hashtags: australia, politics, election, terrorism, radicalisation,