Australian teenager charged with terror plot

A 17-year-old Australian boy was charged with terror offences following a raid by police at his home in Melbourne, media reported on Saturday.

The teenager was charged after Victoria Police and Australian Federal Police personnel launched raids in Melbourne on Friday afternoon, swooping on a house where explosives were found and  taken away to be detonated in a nearby park, Sky News Australia reported.

"It will be alleged the teenager was undertaking preparations for planning a terrorist act in Australia," a police official said on Saturday.

In Darwin, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that the government knows there is a very serious threat.

"There have been some raids over the last 24 hours  in Sydney and Melbourne. There's been at least one arrest," he said.The teenager is expected to face a closed court on Monday.