Parents at 18 Northern Territory Catholic schools received an urgent email on Friday warning they might see more uniformed police on campus after two teenagers faced court within seven days on terrorism-related document charges. Catholic Education NT said it had cooperated with authorities since the Australian Federal Police-led Joint Counter Terrorism Team investigation began, while insisting the extra patrols were precautionary rather than a response to a specific imminent threat.
What authorities have confirmed
A teenage girl, who cannot be named under youth justice rules, appeared in the NT Youth Justice Court on Wednesday charged with collecting or making documents likely to facilitate terrorist acts. A week earlier, a teenage boy faced the same charge before the same court. Acting Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Adam Rice told reporters on Wednesday that investigators had identified a number of schools as part of the inquiry, without naming campuses publicly.
Detectives executing a search warrant at a Top End home allegedly seized material showing a mixed ideological motivation, including glorification of mass-casualty attacks at schools, according to the Joint Counter Terrorism Team. Authorities have not released further detail on the documents or any alleged targets. Rice urged the public not to speculate about identities or motives while charges are before the court.
How schools are responding
Catholic Education NT director Paul Greaves wrote that safeguarding measures were already in place and asked communities to avoid sharing unverified claims online. The letter, sent hours before Friday afternoon pick-ups, said families should not read an increased police presence as confirmation of danger on a particular campus. Church leaders echoed that message on Sunday, calling for calm and unity across Darwin, Katherine, and remote communities served by the network.
Investigation scope and limits
The Joint Counter Terrorism Team combines AFP detectives with Northern Territory Police and ASIO liaisons. Officers have visited schools as part of information gathering, but Greaves stressed there was no advice that staff or students faced an active plot on site. Legal restrictions prevent publishing identifying details about the accused because both are minors.
The twin charges land amid wider federal attention on youth radicalisation pathways online. Federal leaders have not linked this file to any overseas group, and no additional arrests were announced over the weekend. Investigators continue to analyse seized devices and interview associates, a process that can run for weeks before prosecutors decide whether to expand charges.
What families should expect
Police said uniformed visits may continue sporadically to reassure communities and remind students how to report suspicious material. Catholic Education NT urged anyone with concerns to contact school leaders rather than social media groups. The territory government said student attendance policies would remain normal unless public health or safety orders change.
For Territorians, the case underscores how federal counter-terror powers can intersect with everyday school routines in ways that are visible to children. Authorities repeated that the charges remain allegations until a court determines otherwise, and that support services are available to students unsettled by the police presence.