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Counter-terrorism police have charged a 65-year-old Melbourne man accused of acting as a key propagandist for Islamic State and spreading thousands of violent files on behalf of the terrorist group.
After a years-long covert operation related to the man, detectives from the Victorian Joint Counterterrorism Team raided a Carlton home on Wednesday where the accused was living with his wife.
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Paula Hudson said authorities were alerted to the accused in 2021 after Border Force officers found suspicious material on the man’s devices as he flew to Egypt.
Forensic analysis of seized devices allegedly revealed he had sent about 10,000 files of violent extremist material and Islamic State propaganda between November 2018 and July 2020.
“The scale and dissemination placed this man as a principal distributor of ISIS propaganda within the group,” Hudson said. “The videos, photographs, audio files and documents contain messages relating to abhorrent content, being executions, mass murder, torture and propaganda,” Hudson said.
The material also included information on avoiding detection from law enforcement, and how-to guides on mass casualty attacks, she said. The accused allegedly distributed the material using an encrypted platform.
The man, who is an Australian citizen, has been charged with membership of a terrorism organisation, possessing and distributing extremist material and using a carriage service to cause offence.
Hudson did not rule out the possibility of making more arrests and said police were continuing to investigate individuals connected to the man.
“Viewing this violent extremist material is not harmless online content. It desensitises people and normalises violence. It radicalises people.”
Acting Home Affairs Minister Michelle Rowland said the man should face the full of force of the law.
“There is no place in our country for any kind of extremism, racially or religiously motivated prejudice or hate”, she said in a statement.
The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team – which includes AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO members – launched the covert investigation in 2021 after the man returned from Egypt after a six-month trip.
He is likely to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court later today.
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Carla Jaeger is a journalist for The Age. Got a tip? Email carla.jaeger@theage.com.au or message carlajaeger.62 on Signal.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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