The spy agency says a deradicalisation programme turned around a teen who had been threatening to blow up places of worship in just a year.
In a second case, where a teen was engaging in violent rhetoric on a white supremacy social media channel, neurodivergence,isolation, religious identity and lack of a strong male figure all appeared to play a part.
The two case studies were detailed by the SIS alongside others from its Five Eyes intelligence group partners, amid warnings that young people were being radicalised in faster, more random ways.
“Minors can pose the same credible terrorist threat as adults,” the joint report said.
They were being “exposed to and influenced by violent extremism in ways we haven’t seen before”, the SIS said on Tuesday, in announcing the National Terrorism Threat Level has been kept at “low”.
“The volume and accessibility of extremist views online is worrying,” director-general of security Andrew Hampton said in a statement.
“This means the threat environment could change with little warning.”
He encouraged people to report concerning behaviour they saw. Earlier this year, the Government dumped a plan for a new reporting line dedicated to this, on the grounds there were enough reporting channels already.
The Director-General of Security, Andrew Hampton. Photo / Mark Mitchell
In the white supremacist case, the SIS got an alert and began monitoring online.
“The individual made racist, misogynistic and anti-authority comments, as well as statements indicating a desire to die or commit suicide,” the joint report said.
“Separately, a minor’s family member believed that the minor was being groomed online by an adult who appealed to the minor’s religious identity and lack of a strong male figure in their life.”
The family enrolled the minor in a youth group, restricted their time online and confiscated some items, while police supported them, the SIS account said.
The agency closed the case as it considered the youth had limited intent and capability.
However, in the first case, the teen was charged over threats to kill specific people.
This was after they came to attention amid “online threats to blow up a prominent building and places of worship”, triggering a formal investigation.
The person was put in a state home for under 18s, and a disengagement programme.
“The minor’s wrap-around support aimed to address issues which were impacting their mental health, inter-personal relationships, identity struggles, and lapses in education or employment.”
Even though they went on to commit a crime not related to national security, and despite difficulties engaging the family, the teen went on to be “phased out” after spending just over a year in the programme.
This and other case studies showed programmes for countering violent extremism could work, the report said.
In one UK case study, a teen who had been exposed to “a great deal of extremist material” was instead exposed to different theology and ideology, “covered repeatedly to gauge whether or not the minor was remorseful or showing false compliance”. It clearly took a lot of time and effort.
In another UK case, two right-wing teenagers met on Instagram, then on Telegram, before meeting in person, and going on to commit crimes. One received a custodial sentence.
In a case in Canada, a teen was pushing involuntary celibate (incel) ideology online, and threatened a girl. They were arrested on a “Fear of Terrorism Peace Bond”, then turned around via intervention by police, an NGO and their family, the case study said.
Hampton warned on Tuesday the most likely terror attack would be by a “lone wolf”-type “self-radicalised or inspired by like-minded individuals, using readily available weapons”.
