A 19-year-old West Australian man has become the first person in Australia to be convicted and sentenced for transmitting violent extremist material online, after pleading guilty to posting Islamic State content on social media.
The Perth District Court sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment today (20 March 2025) after he admitted to one count of transmitting violent extremist material online and one count of using a carriage service to cause offence. His sentence was backdated to 12 June 2024, the date of his arrest, and he will be eligible to apply for parole from 12 May 2026.
The convicted man pleaded guilty to:
- One count of using a carriage service to transmit violent extremist material, contrary to section 474.45B of the Criminal Code (Cth).
- One count of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence, contrary to section 474.17 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said the swift action by WA JCTT investigators helped protect the community from potential threats.
“One of the goals of the WA JCTT is to keep the community safe by preventing anyone from advocating for attacks or harassment of others.”
Assistant Commissioner Nutt added:
“Islamic State distributes violent extremist material online to radicalise young people and encourage them to carry out attacks on its behalf. Sharing or accessing such material is an offence, and authorities will act swiftly when these crimes are detected.”
He urged the public to report any concerning online activity, emphasising that community vigilance plays a key role in preventing extremist threats.
The Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) launched an investigation in June 2024 after receiving reports of violent extremist content being shared via social media and encrypted messaging platforms.
Authorities found the man had shared Islamic State-produced videos depicting beheadings and other violence, as well as audio recordings encouraging acts of terror. He also engaged in online conversations expressing contempt towards individuals based on religion and ethnicity.
Investigators linked the man to the accounts and executed a search warrant at his home in Perth’s southern suburbs on 12 June 2024. Police seized a mobile phone, a knife, and a black balaclava—items that appeared in some of the extremist material he posted online.
The case marks the first conviction under new Commonwealth counter-terrorism laws introduced on 8 January 2024, which made transmitting violent extremist material online a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison.
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