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A group of Victorian men have been charged after allegedly possessing videos of terror attack and ISIS propaganda, following an 18-month investigation.
Four men; Mohammad Ahmadzai, 21, Azan Syed, 20, Sulaiman Sarwari, 29, and Adian Sarwari, 19, were charged by police with possession of violent extremist material earlier this month following raids on four homes in Melbourne.
A fifth man, aged 25, was later charged with the same offence after he was arrested arriving at Melbourne International Airport from Malaysia on May 16.
Sulaiman Sarwari appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday with his wife as his lawyer, Siobhan Stary, applied for two bail conditions to be removed, including a requirement to come to court for review of his bail compliance.
The move was approved by magistrate Donna Bakos after no opposition was raised by the prosecution.
According to the Australian Federal Police, an investigation was launched following the alleged discovery of suspicious content on a mobile phone of one man after he returned to Australia from Turkey on November 29, 2024.
Investigation of the device allegedly revealed the group had been sharing extremist material, including ISIS propaganda and photos and videos of terror attacks online.
Announcing that charges had been laid on May 8, AFP Counter Terrorism Commander Paula Hudson said intervening early helps to ensure individuals are disrupted before they reach the most serious levels of offending.
“We allege these men were actively engaging in the sharing of this material inspired by ISIS, a terrorist organisation responsible for mass killings, and violent religious persecution,” she said.
The five men are expected to return to court in late July and early August.
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