Australian teenager charged with militant plot

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Saturday there is a serious threat after a 17-year-old boy has been charged for plotting terrorist act after a raid by police at his home in northern Melbourne.

Abbott told reporters in Darwin that there is a very serious threat Australia is facing.

"There have been some raids over the last 24 hours in Sydney and Melbourne. There's been at least one arrest," he said.

"There is evidence of a bomb plot that was in a reasonably advanced state of preparation and the police will have more to say about this," said Abbott.

Counter-terrorism group from Victoria Police and the Australian Federal Police launched raids on a Greenvale house on Friday afternoon.

Explosives were found and taken away to be detonated in a nearby location after 9 p.m. local time.

"During the search warrant at the Greenvale premises, three suspicious items were located and also material that was associated with the making of explosive devices," AFP Deputy Commissioner Mike Phelan said, adding "The three items were subsequently taken to a nearby park and rendered safe by the Victoria police bomb squad."

The teenager was charged for undertaking preparations for an act of terrorism, as well as possessing things that relate to the commission of a terrorism act.