A months-long investigation into sustained online threats directed at Australia’s national law enforcement agency has culminated in the arrest and charging of a 40-year-old Adelaide man, authorities confirmed this week.
The probe was launched in January 2026 by the Australian Federal Police’s (AFP) relatively new National Security Investigations (NSI) team, a specialized unit established just 15 months prior to crack down on individuals and groups deemed to pose severe risks to Australia’s social cohesion. The investigation was triggered after the AFP received intelligence about a series of threatening social media posts targeting the federal police force, according to an official AFP spokesperson.
After building a case linking the 40-year-old South Australian resident to the social media account behind the threats, AFP tactical officers executed a search warrant at the man’s Adelaide home on Thursday. During the operation, officers took the man into custody at his residence and seized his mobile phone as key evidence for the ongoing legal process.
Law enforcement alleges that over a period of multiple months, the suspect posted a large volume of threatening messages targeting the AFP via the connected social media account. Following his arrest, the man has been formally charged with one count of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offense under Australian law. He has since been released on bail and is scheduled to make his first appearance at the Adelaide Magistrates Court on September 29.
The case marks one of the first high-profile prosecutions handled by the NSI team, which was formed to address emerging threats to public safety and social order in the digital space, highlighting the Australian federal government’s ongoing focus on addressing harmful online behavior targeting law enforcement institutions.