[Image: Flickr]
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly scheming an extremist attack on Cape Town International Airport and Mavericks Night Club after being recruited online by an extremist group.
The Hawks’ elite Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit, alongside several other law enforcement agencies, nabbed the teen at his Melkbosstrand home. His online footprint – and an alleged act of vandalism at a local church – put him on the radar.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi confirmed the arrest via Cape Argus, stating the suspect appeared in the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. The teen is facing serious charges under the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA), along with malicious damage to property.
Authorities had been tracking the case since a December 2023 search-and-seizure operation uncovered his alleged radicalisation. While no explosives were found, officers seized several electronic devices, including a PlayStation, gaming consoles, and a cellphone, for forensic analysis.
“This was after information was received that a minor child was allegedly planning to attack the Cape Town International Airport and Mavericks Night Club after being radicalized and recruited by the terrorist organisation,” Vukubi said.
Investigations suggest the teen wasn’t working alone as he allegedly recruited another person to join him. Before his arrest, he reportedly vandalised a Catholic church, beheading a statue of Mary and spray-painting cryptic slogans.
The National Director of Public Prosecutions greenlit a POCDATARA certificate earlier this month, paving the way for prosecution. Meanwhile, the teen was released into his parents’ custody, and the case was postponed until Friday for legal representation.
From gaming to a government watchlist, this story is still unfolding.
[Source: Cape Argus]
