Radicalised Willetton stabbing attacker had access to prayer rooms despite other parents’ concerns

Western Australian Department of Education director-general Lisa Rogers today described the prayer room as a corridor overlooking two classrooms and a staff office.

“There was certainly an ongoing kind of passive surveillance of that prayer room,” she told radio 6PR, adding that the teenager “would have had the opportunity to participate in that prayer room without active supervision.”

Rogers denied claims the young extremist used his time in the room to indoctrinate others after another student’s parents raised concerns, but admitted he may have spoken to his peers about religion.

“They may have had conversations regarding religion,” she said.

“But certainly not radicalization, there’s a big line between practicing your faith and being radicalized.”

The 16-year-old, described as radicalised, was shot dead by a police officer after stabbing a stranger in Willetton Bunnings on Saturday night, but his online movements had been closely watched beforehand.

He was caught watching videos of people being beheaded and was given a school laptop with a locked browser on which his activities were monitored.

“What he was doing outside the school gates in terms of what he was doing with that content, I can’t speak to,” Rogers said.

“But I can tell you and I can assure parents that while he was at school he was abused and watched.”

She said Rosmoyne reports the boy to police every month.

The Department for Education said prayer rooms at Rossmoyne and other schools would remain open so students could practice their religion.

“We can’t ask students to park their faith at the door,” Rogers said.