An Australian teenager who was arrested in Lebanon was allegedly getting ready to become a suicide bomber.
The 18-year-old, known only by the initial A.M. was detained by security forces after they suspected he was about to travel to Syria to join Islamic State.
The Lebanese Internal Security Forces claimed the teen, who had lived in Sydney for several years, had showed a willingness to carry out an attack, The Daily Telegraph reports.
An Australian teenager who was arrested in Lebanon was allegedly getting ready to become a suicide bomber (stock image)
‘About a week before his arrest, he contacted a cadre of the Daesh (Islamic State) organisation in Syria and showed his willingness to carry out a suicide or explosive operation in Lebanon,’ the ISF told the publication.
The organisation claimed the dual national had arrived in the country on August 20 after becoming radicalised by watching and reading material online from the terror group.
They also alleged he had downloaded instructions for ‘manufacturing explosives’, as well as videos of ‘previous assassinations carried out’.
‘He…was convinced of the idea of jihad, and the implementation of suicide operations in favour of Daesh,’ they said.
The organisation claimed the dual national had arrived in the country on August 20 after becoming radicalised by watching and reading material online from the terror group (stock image)
They also alleged he had downloaded instructions for ‘manufacturing explosives’, as well as videos of ‘previous assassinations carried out’ (stock image)
A statement from the security forces said the teenager was arrested in Tripoli on October 28, two days before he was due to depart for Syria.
The Information Division of ISF was behind the arrest, with the teen put under surveillance since his arrival in Lebanon.
The teenager also reportedly gave up information on other Australian fighters, and supporters and financiers of the militant group.
The ISF claimed the Australian man was linked to an IS co-ordinator in a neighbouring country.
The teen will face a local court at a future date, with The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirming it was providing consular assistance to an Australian man detained in Lebanon.
The teenager also reportedly gave up information on other Australian fighters, and supporters and financiers of the militant group (stock image)