Thousands of parents with children at Northern Territory Catholic schools are being warned to expect "an increased uniformed police presence around your school" after two teenagers were charged with terrorism-related offences in less than a week.
A teenage girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faced the NT Youth Justice Court on Wednesday charged with collecting or making documents likely to facilitate terrorist attacks, a week after a teenage boy faced court on the same charge.
Just hours before pick-up on Friday afternoon, Catholic Education NT (CENT) emailed families and carers from 18 schools across the territory, informing them it had "assisted police and relevant authorities since the commencement of the investigation" into the terrorism allegations.
In the letter, seen by the ABC, CENT director Paul Greaves urged the school community not to "speculate about the allegations, identities, motivations and potential outcomes", saying "appropriate safeguarding measures" were in place.
"In some circumstances you may notice an increased uniformed police presence around your school," he wrote.
"Police will continue to work closely with CENT and provide further advice where appropriate."
On Wednesday, Australian Federal Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Rice revealed authorities had identified "a number of schools" as part of the Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) investigation.
The same day, a JCTT spokesperson confirmed detectives had seized material from a Top End home which allegedly revealed a "mixed ideological motivation, including glorification of mass casualty attacks at schools".
No real threat to safety
Speaking to the ABC yesterday, Bishop of the NT Charles Gauci called for calm, urging the community to come together to help reduce the risk of radicalisation.
With technology evolving at a rapid pace, Bishop Gauci said children needed support in their formative years now more than ever.
"This is part of a larger question," he said.
"How do we help our young people really, really grow in their understanding of values?"
During the same interview, Mr Greaves said CENT chose to send the email to all of its schools so as not to "indulge in speculation".
"We haven't held back anything, transparency I think's really important to build trust," he said.
"That trust I hope we're maintaining in assuring families, assuring students, assuring staff that at no point we were aware there was any real threat to safety."
Mr Greaves clarified officers would not be actively patrolling schools but would be "driving around" or "coming in" to gather evidence as part of the investigation.
"There have been cases where police have been attending schools and people have noticed that," he said.
"It's because this is the ongoing nature of the investigations, police need to talk to people not just at our schools, [but] in other parts of the community as well."
Schools not 'places of fear'
Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research director Lindon Coombes said while police had a job to do, their presence could be particularly triggering for some First Nations students.
"A police officer in uniform does not make every child feel safe," he said.
"For some Aboriginal children, it can have precisely the opposite effect."
"We need to be very careful that in trying to protect children from a potential threat, we don't turn their schools into places of fear and intimidation."
National Justice Project chief executive George Newhouse said while he recognised the importance of early intervention, community trust in authorities was central to helping support young people who were exposed to extremist material online.
"Police have acknowledged that preventing youth radicalisation requires families, schools and communities to work together," he said.
"Any additional police presence must have a clear justification, be limited to what is necessary and be subject to ongoing review."
