Well, well, well, it seems like we have a real Usama bin Laden wannabe on our hands. A 19-year-old from Melbourne’s southeast has allegedly been cooking up some rather disturbing plans, and let’s just say they’re not exactly the recipe for a good time.
But wait, there’s more! When the counter-terrorism police raided his home, they allegedly found a treasure trove of goodies, including handwritten notes detailing his grand schemes, a stockpile of weapons, metal parts to make a gun, ammunition, a taser, chemistry equipment, explosive chemicals, homemade guns, and the list goes on. It’s like he was running his own little black market out of his bedroom!
And if that wasn’t enough, they also allegedly found plans for explosives, a bayonet, a flick knife, a slingshot (seriously?), a military tactical vest, shock collars (for who, his pet hamster?), walkie-talkies, a gas mask, and a firearm shoulder holster. I mean, did he think he was auditioning for a role in a Rambo movie or something?
According to Deakin University terrorism expert Greg Barton, this all seems to fit the classic American-style school shooting. I guess this kid really took the phrase “go big or go home” to heart.
But it doesn’t stop there. The handwritten notes allegedly outline even more plans, like carrying out a shooting at a bus stop, poisoning members of the public (because why not?), and shooting police officers. And if that wasn’t chilling enough, there’s a note threatening to kill high school students if he was expelled. Talk about taking rejection poorly!
Oh, and did I mention that this young man has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder? Yeah, let’s throw that into the mix too.
Now here’s the kicker – this kid actually had a firearms license! I mean, who thought it was a good idea to give this guy a license to potentially cause mass mayhem? Thankfully, it was suspended after his arrest. But get this – he was previously arrested and charged with improperly storing ammunition, possessing housebreaking implements, and possessing explosive substances in April, only to be released on bail. And then his house was searched again several months later and he was arrested again. Talk about a revolving door of trouble!
So now he’s appeared at a bail hearing, with police opposing bail on the grounds that he’s capable of causing mass violence if released. His family, on the other hand, wants to monitor him at home instead. It’s like a real-life game of tug-of-war between law enforcement and his family.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out. But one thing’s for sure – this kid’s alleged plans are definitely not winning him any “Most Likely to Succeed” awards. Let’s hope the authorities keep a close eye on him because it seems like he’s got some serious Hollywood-inspired delusions of grandeur.