A 22-year-old Perth man who has been before the courts on terror-related charges since late last year has now been charged with planning a terrorist attack, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT-WA), made up of the Australian Federal Police, WA Police and ASIO, announced the upgraded charge on Friday, 30 October 2026. The man was expected to appear in the Supreme Court of Western Australia the same day.
What police allege
The man has been charged with one count of other acts done in preparation for, or planning, terrorist acts, under section 101.6 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code.
Police will allege he used a messaging platform to seek help with explosive devices, military and tactical training, weapons manufacturing, combat techniques and fake documents, as part of planning a terrorist attack. Police have not said what the alleged target was, and none of the allegations has been tested in court.
The man was first arrested on 4 December 2025, after counter-terrorism officers searched a home in Westminster, in Perth's northern suburbs. He was charged with five offences at that time, and four more were added later that month.
According to The West Australian, the earlier charges included possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained through a carriage service, possessing violent extremist material in data form, and several bail breaches. The paper reports that police allege an electronic device seized by investigators held violent extremist material, and that he had separately been charged with assaulting and threatening to kill a woman known to him.
Two charges to be dropped
With the new planning charge laid, two of the earlier counts will be withdrawn in court: collecting or making a document knowing it was connected with a terrorist act (section 101.5), and possessing a thing knowing it was connected with a terrorist act (section 101.4).
Prosecutors often replace narrower possession charges with a single planning charge once an investigation matures. The planning offence covers any act done in preparation for a terrorist act, even if no specific attack was decided on, and it is one of the most serious offences in Australia's counter-terrorism laws.
Investigation continues
The JCTT-WA said its investigation is ongoing. The man has not been named publicly.
Authorities have not suggested there is any current threat to the Perth community linked to the case.
"Members of the community are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the National Security Hotline." — Joint Counter Terrorism Team WA statement
The National Security Hotline is 1800 123 400. Information can also be given to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppers.com.au.
What happens next
The case will continue in the Supreme Court of Western Australia, which hears the most serious criminal matters in the state. The man has not entered a plea to the new charge, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The full JCTT-WA statement has been republished by Mirage News.
Photo: The Supreme Court of Western Australia in the Perth CBD. File photo by -wuppertaler via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
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