SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian police arrested on Wednesday an 18-year man who had allegedly expressed interest in committing a mass causality attack, motivated by right-wing ideology.
Police said they expect to lay charges on Wednesday against the unidentified man from Albury, a small town 553 km (344 miles) southwest of Sydney.
“The male we’ve arrested has an extremely right-wing ideology and is focused on neo-Nazi, white supremacist and anti-Semitic material,” Australian Federal Police Assistant Commission Scott Lee told reporters in Sydney.
“A couple of days ago what we observed was an escalation in the tone which went to a support of a mass casualty event, and potentially his involvement in that event.”
Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, has been on heightened alert against the threat of home-grown radicals after several “lone wolf” attacks in recent years.
A white supremacist gunman from Australia killed 51 Muslim worshippers in New Zealand last year..
Australian intelligence agencies have regularly warned of an increased threat by right-wing aligned individuals since then.
(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Robert Birsel)
