A teenager shot dead by police at the weekend was a self-confessed jihadist who had previously used a battery to cause an explosion in the school toilet block.
The 16-year-old Rossmoyne High School student had also been placed in a special program to counter violent extremism two years ago.
Minutes before the “radicalised” boy stabbed a man in the back in Willeton, in Perth’s south at the weekend, he messaged his associates.
“Peace be upon the Messenger of God. May his peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you,” he wrote in Arabic.
“Brothers please forgive me for any time I have wronged you, I am going in the path of jihad tonight for the sake of Allah Azzawajal,” he then continued in English.
“I am a soldier of the Mujahideen of Al-Qaeda and take responsibility for the actions â¦
“If you have any illegal or jihadi things online or in real life please make sure to hide them.”
The message prompted members of the Muslim community to alert police, who quickly arrived outside Bunnings on High Road.
As the teenager approached them in the car park, officers discharged their Tasers twice before one fired the fatal shot.
Fellow high school students said they believed the 16-year-old suffered from mental health problems and needed help.
“People need to start focusing more on mental health and stop assuming that he was this bad person,” one student said.
“He had a lot of friends and was well known and was a very kind and genuine person and I wouldn’t think he would have done something like this.
She said he was “a bit set back” but still a “calm, kind person”.
A parent said he was a “very kind-hearted and helpful child”.
“Because of his online issues I think he has gone mad,” she said.
However, concerns had been raised on multiple occasions about the boy’s behaviour, and parents said he had blown up a lithium-ion battery in the school toilets.
Two years ago the Caucasian boy was placed in a special program to counter violent extremism, amid fears he was being radicalised.
Since the program started a decade ago, 14 Western Australians have participated. Currently there are nine receiving support, five of whom are juveniles.
“There were a number of red flags raised, this should have had great attention of every agency that could be involved, including security agencies,” WA Liberal Party leader Libby Mettam said.
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said: “These people come to the attention of police when their actions are unlikely or already tipping into unlawful behaviour”.
“So from that point of view, it is absolutely appropriate that this person remains in the program,” he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was also asked about the case and federal agencies’ role.
“Our police will go through their processes and it is important that that be backed up,” he said.
“My job is to back up our security agencies and the work that they do.”
