| Follow up to this story from two days ago. |
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not
reallyMoslems....
Australia" and created a stronghold in the Blue Mountains from which to conduct "guerilla-style" attacks, court documents allege.
| He’s an ambitious little obscenity, to be sure. |
Mr el Matari also sent money offshore to import firearms, firearm parts and TNT (explosives) into Australia, the court documents allege, and operated a contingent of IS fighters for an alleged terrorist attack.
| These are not inexpensive hobbies. Where does a 20 year old lay his hands on so much lettuce? |
From there, police allege, he planned to sneak across the border into Afghanistan's Khorasan province described as an "ISIS enclave".
He "answered the call of war", the documents continue, and was "talking about sacrificing himself for the IS cause".
The 20-year-old remained in the cells during a brief mention of his case at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday morning.
Isaac el Matari’s matter was mentioned before magistrate Peter Feather, 48 hours after his dramatic arrest. He did not appear in court, with criminal lawyer Alistair Sinclair appearing on behalf of Mr el Matari’s solicitor Robert Stary.
Mr el Matari is charged with knowingly being a member of IS, doing an act in preparation for a terror attack and making plans contrary to so-called foreign fighter legislation.
Police said he planned to orchestrate terror attacks on central Sydney locations including churches, courts and cop shoppes, allegedly reaching out to contacts overseas for weapons.
Mr el Matari underwent a government deradicalisation program when he was returned from Leb last year.
| That worked well... |
Investigators allege they came across online threats to commit a terror attack, including on social media and encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Mr el Matari was arrested on Tuesday morning by officers from the Joint Counter Terrorism Taskforce at his Greenacre home.
At the same time, Sherlocks arrested alleged IS member Radwan Dakkak
| ...he would be the previously unnamed 23 year old, up for 20 years in the pen when convicted... |
| ...ditto aged 30... |
| Hopefully the coppers picked up all the cell phones, laptops, and Alexas to be found for further analysis. |
Police say that they don’t expect to make any further arrests.