WA teenager charged with creating ‘false threat’ to ‘Christchurch 2.0’ a Sydney mosque

A 16-year-old WA boy who allegedly made an online threat to carry out a mass shooting at a NSW mosque has been charged.

NSW Police alerted their WA counterparts on Tuesday after a member of the Australian Islamic House — Masjid Al-Bayt Al-Islami — in Edmondson Park spotted a comment on its Instagram page threatening to “Christchurch 2.0” the mosque.

WA Police State security investigation group officers arrested the boy — from Eaton near Bunbury — on Tuesday night.

The threat referred to Australian-born Brenton Tarrant’s 2019 storming of a Christchurch mosque during which he shot dead 51 people.

The WA teenager has been charged with one count of “creating false apprehension to the existence of threats or danger”.

He was given bail and will next appear in the Bunbury Children’s Court on April 4.

“There is no ongoing threat to the community,” a police spokeswoman said.

Australian Islamic House said it would continue its nightly Ramadan prayers with an increased police presence.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that whoever was responsible for the “abhorrent” threat should face the full force of the law.

A NSW Police spokesman told The West on Wednesday that WA Police had taken carriage of the investigation.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the threat was being taken very seriously.

“Racist threats and Islamophobia will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law,” he said.

“This is very distressing, particularly as Muslims right across the State are participating in prayer during the month of Ramadan.”