Sydney Woman Arrested After Social Media Posts Glorifying Martyrdom, Sharing Extremist Content

The Australian Federal Police arrested a 23-year-old Sydney woman on October 16, 2025, over her social media posts. Photo: AFP

The Australian Federal Police have arrested a 23-year-old Sydney woman after she shared social media posts glorifying martyrdom and sharing extremist materials. 

The woman, a resident of Quakers Hill, was charged with possessing 43 files on her mobile phone that contained violent extremist material. 

“The AFP will not allow Australia to become a hotbed for violent extremism and will not hesitate to lay charges,” AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said in a statement. 

AFP said it was concerned about the easy availability of extremist material online to young people. 

Sydney Woman's Extremist Social Media Posts Trigger Alarm

The AFP was first alerted in July 2025 that a Sydney-based social media account was sharing extremist content and glorifying martyrdom. The AFP investigation found that the woman was running two social media accounts that uploaded and shared the violent and extremist material. 

A forensic analysis of the woman’s phone turned up 43 files with violent content. 

On Thursday, the police arrested and charged the woman with one count of using a carriage service for violent extremist material and one count of possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained or accessed using a carriage service. If convicted of the offences, the woman faces a jail term of up to five years. 

Extremists Are Targeting Vulnerable Youth

The Australian Federal Police arrested a 23-year-old Sydney woman on October 16, 2025, over her social media posts. Photo: AFP

“Preventing the possession, consumption and promotion of this material will reduce instances of radicalisation of people, particularly vulnerable people,” Assistant Commissioner Nutt said. 

According to Nutt, parents, schools, health and social services, and technology companies played an important role “in preventing access to, and the consumption of, violent extremist material online and to spot the early signs of radicalisation”. 

“The AFP believes extremist groups – and their supporters – are targeting vulnerable and young individuals online as they are more susceptible to being influenced, in very similar ways to how child sex offenders attempt to groom children,” Nutt added.

Here’s How To Identify If A Person Is  Susceptible To Radicalisation: 

• Distancing themselves from their usual friends and family members; 

• An increase in the extremist nature of their rhetoric or propaganda that they propagate; 

• A child using hateful or emotionally-charged language; 

• Developing a fixation on conspiracy theories or contentious social issues; 

• Displaying extreme reaction to certain news or politics, or 

• Spending increasing amounts of time in fringe forums on the internet.

If you believe someone you know is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000) or local police (131 444). 

If you suspect someone is being radicalised online or in person, call the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.  

For anonymous reporting, visit the Crime Stoppers website or call the toll-free number 1800 333 000.