Crime

Sakina Muhammad Jan: Mother jailed for forcing daughter Ruqia Haidari into deadly marriage A mum who forced her daughter to marry a man who later killed her has delivered a shock outburst in court, saying she 'cannot be locked in.'

(NCA NewsWire) A woman who forced her daughter to marry a man against her wishes, before he later murdered her in a “fit of rage,” has refused to sign a document that will release her from prison early. Judge Fran [Dalziel] jailed […]

Crime

‘Can’t do this in Australia’: Court weighs up jail for mum who coerced daughter into murderous marriage A woman faces deportation to Afghanistan as a court weighs up whether she goes to jail for forcing her daughter into a murderous marriage.

(NCA NewsWire) A woman who coerced her daughter into an arranged marriage that ended with the husband murdering the bride could be jailed for the act, a court has heard. [Sakina] Muhammad Jan, 48 of Shepparton, faced the Melbourne County Court on […]

Legal

Aran Sherani: ISIS hopeful in prison ‘isolation’ over radicalisation fears, court told A convicted terrorist who once planned to join Islamic State has been removed from the general prison population because of concerns he was radicalising others, a court has been told.

(NCA NewsWire) A man who made videos lighting fires and pledging himself to Islamic State has been placed in isolation in prison after authorities alleged he was radicalising other inmates. Aran Sherani, 22, was found guilty of doing acts in preparation for […]

Children & Teens

Federal Court rejects legal effort to force reparation of women and children in Syrian detention camps The Federal Court has again rejected an effort to force the federal government to bring home Aussie women and children in Syrian refugee camps.

(NCA NewsWire) The Federal Court has upheld a previous judgment rejecting legal arguments that would bring Australian ISIS brides and their children home from a refugee camp in Syria. On Tuesday morning, Justice Christopher Horan announced the court would dismiss an appeal […]

Children & Teens

ASIO boss calls to scrap powers to forcibly question 14-year-old terror suspects The head of ASIO wants a contentious power changed, saying the terrorism threat posed by minors in Australia had changed.

(NCA NewsWire) Australia’s domestic spy agency wants to give up its right to request warrants to question children as young as 14 after it reported only a handful of minors had been charged with terror offences since 9/11. ASIO told a parliamentary […]

Government & Politics

ASIO boss Mike Burgess: Counter-terrorism laws ‘necessary’ to stop Australians from travelling to terrorist hotspots Mike Burgess says there have been 'general conversations' about declaring Gaza and south Lebanon areas of concern, but intelligence agencies have not been asked for formal advice.

(NCA NewsWire) Australia’s top security boss says there has been a decline in the number of people who aspire to travel overseas to support terrorist groups since the height of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, but travel bans are a “necessary tool” […]

Academics & Education

Hindu Council calls for removal of prayer rooms from public schools There are calls to remove prayer rooms from public schools in Western Australia amid fears they could promote 'radical' views.

(NCA NewsWire) The Hindu Council of Australia wants prayer rooms removed from public schools due to fears they could be used to promote “radical ideologies.” A 16-year-old boy was shot dead by police last Saturday night after he stabbed a man in […]

Children & Teens

Adelaide girl, 14, charged with possessing explosive instructions and extremist material Terrorism charges have been laid against a 14-year-old girl, who kept her face hidden behind a black cloth as she faced court on Friday.

(NCA NewsWire) A young girl facing a sweep of serious terror charges has fronted court for her first public hearing, hiding behind [a] long black cloth as she entered and left the court. South Australian terror cops swooped in on the Adelaide […]

Legal

Neil Prakash: Witness compelled to give evidence against accused ISIS recruiter Prosecutors have forced a witness to give evidence as the case against accused Australian ISIS recruiter Neil Prakash returns to court.

(NCA NewsWire) A witness will be forced to give evidence against an accused Australian ISIS recruiter after she refused to do so following legal advice. The case against Neil Christopher Prakash, 32, returned before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday for a […]

Cemeteries & Funerals

One of two Australian men killed in Lebanon by air strike linked to Hezbollah, reports claim Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah claims an Australian man killed by an air strike in southern Lebanon fought for the terrorist organisation.

(NCA NewsWire) Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah claims one of two Australian men killed by an air strike in southern Lebanon was one of its fighters. Ali Bazzi, 30, was killed after a suspected Israeli air strike hit a two-storey building in the […]

Legal

Abdullah Chaarani: Terrorist who plotted Christmas Day attack has sentence reduced on appeal One of the men behind a Christmas Day terror plot that would have killed 'many innocent people' has had a major court win.

(NCA NewsWire) A convicted terrorist has had his sentence slashed by six years after a panel of judges found it was “excessive.” Abdullah Chaarani, 33, returned before the Court of Appeal on Monday, showing little reaction as he learnt his appeal was […]

Children & Teens

Fate of Australian women and children in Syrian refugee camps decided in Federal Court The ISIS brides stuck in a refugee camp in Syria will consider an appeal after a court rejected a bid to bring them back home to Australia.

(NCA NewsWire) A legal battle to bring a group of Australian women and their children stuck in a refugee camp in Syria back home to Australia has been rejected by the Federal Court. A group of 20 Australian children and 11 women […]

Citizenship

Abdul Nacer Benbrika: Terror leader’s Aussie citizenship win The convicted leader of a Melbourne terror cell has won a High Court challenge against the decision to strip him of his Australian citizenship.

(NCA NewsWire) One of Australia’s most infamous domestic terrorists has won a legal bid to restore his citizenship. Abdul Nacer Benbrika launched a High Court bid to the legality of the former Morrison government’s powers to strip citizenship for convicted terrorists as […]

Legal

Alleged Aussie terrorist Neil Prakash ‘refuses’ to appear in court An alleged Islamic State recruiter has refused to face court on terrorism charges, with a prison guard saying 'he states he does not attend court.'

(NCA NewsWire) A Melbourne-born alleged Islamic State fighter has again refused to appear in court, claiming he “does not attend court.” Neil Prakash, 32, was due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday afternoon, but a prison officer appeared on […]

Children & Teens

Fate of Australian women and children in Syrian refugee camps to be decided in Federal Court A senior diplomat has told a court any effort to bring back ISIS brides and their children stuck in Syrian camps would require a 'political decision.'

(NCA NewsWire) A senior diplomat has told a court she was not aware of any plans to bring ISIS brides and their children back to Australia. On Tuesday, a “last resort” legal fight began in the Federal Court hoping to force the […]

Health & Medicine

Man charged over mid-air rant involved in court drama The man at the centre of an incident that forced an international flight to return to Sydney airport has refused to come out of his cell.

(NCA NewsWire) The man at the centre of the mid-air drama which forced an international flight to be turned around will make a bid to be released on bail on Wednesday after his lawyer flagged he was suffering from mental health issues. […]

Law Enforcement

AFP officers attend Sydney Airport as emergency incident unfolds Cops have stormed a Malaysia Airlines flight to arrest an 'unruly' passenger whose behaviour forced the plane to return to Sydney.

(NCA NewsWire) A man who forced a Malaysia Airlines plane to make a dramatic turn back to Sydney International Airport after he became unruly and made references to Islam has been arrested. The MH122 Airbus-a330 flight to Kuala Lumpur was diverted back […]

Law Enforcement

‘A slave of Allah’: Man filmed confronting flight attendants as AFP responds to ‘emergency incident’ Disturbing video of a man confronting plane passengers has emerged, as the AFP conducts an investigation at Sydney International Airport.

(NCA NewsWire) Disturbing footage of a man confronting plane passengers has emerged on board a flight that was forced to turn back, as the AFP conducts an emergency investigation at Sydney International Airport. The man, who was wearing a backpack on his […]

Deradicalization

Ahmed Mohamed: Terrorist’s bid for reduced sentence rejected despite ‘deradicalisation’ A convicted terrorist, currently serving a 32-year stint for two plots, has had his bid for freedom rejected.

(NCA NewsWire) A twice-convicted terrorist, who once plotted a Christmas Day attack in Melbourne’s CBD, has had his bid to walk free from prison early rejected. Ahmed Mohamed, 30, faced the Victorian Court of Appeal on Thursday where a panel of three […]

Citizenship

Convicted terrorist Abdul Benbrika fights removal of Australian citizenship in High Court A convicted terrorist is fighting the decision to strip him of his Australian citizenship in the High Court.

(NCA NewsWire) One of Australia’s most infamous domestic terrorists has gone to the nation’s highest court in his fight to have his citizenship restored as his potential deportation looms closer. Abdul Nacer Benbrika’s challenge against the legality of the former Morrison government’s […]

Government & Politics

Terrorist’s lawyer claims government broke law by not providing key report A convicted terrorist’s lawyers have slammed the government for not handing over a report he claims debunks the 'pseudoscience' used to keep him locked up.

(NCA NewsWire) The former government’s alleged failure to hand over a key report represents an “incredibly serious” breach of the law, a convicted terrorist’s lawyer has claimed. On Monday, lawyers acting for Abdul Nacer Benbrika and Australia’s attorney-general returned before the Supreme […]

Citizenship

Convicted terrorist leader to challenge citizenship decision A convicted terrorist leader will fight to have his Australian citizenship returned, with authorities planning to deport him, a court has heard.

(NCA NewsWire) The convicted leader of a terrorist cell in Australia will fight to have his citizenship returned, a court has heard. Abdul Nacer Benbrika returned before the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday as a trial began on what, if any, conditions […]

Legal

Abdul Nacer Benbrika: Lawyer for convicted terrorist says Australian government ‘Kafkaesque’ As a trial looms on the detention of a convicted terrorist, his lawyer has bemoaned the 'Kafkaesque' issues in dealing with the Australian government.

(NCA NewsWire) Lawyers acting for a terrorist have bemoaned “Kafkaesque” issues with dealing with the Australian government as a trial date looms on his detention. Abdul Nacer Benbrika was jailed for 15 years in February 2009 after he was convicted on charges […]

Law Enforcement

‘Extremist’ allegedly supplied $3000 gun for police shooting A man supplied a vintage gun valued at more than $3000 for a terror attack which killed police employee Curtis Cheng, a court has heard.

(NCA NewsWire) An accused terrorist supplied a vintage gun valued at more than $3000 for a terror attack which killed police employee Curtis Cheng, a court has heard. Mustafa Dirani is on trial over his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of […]

Interfaith

Hussayn Al-Umari: Australian coroner finds May 15 terror leader directed 1982 Sydney bombings Exactly 40 years after the twin bombings of Sydney’s Israeli consulate and the Hakoah Club, a coroner has released startling findings into the terrorist attack.

(NCA NewsWire) Exactly 40 years after Australia was rocked by the twin bombings of Sydney’s Israeli consulate and the Hakoah Club, a coroner has laid the blame squarely on an international terrorist organisation. The bombings on December 23, 1982, shook Australia’s Jewish […]

Law Enforcement

Neil Prakash arrested to face terrorism charges in Australia A man who served time in a Turkish prison for terrorism offences has been arrested by the Australian Federal Police.

(NCA NewsWire) A man accused of serious terrorism offences has been arrested by the Australian Federal Police after being extradited from Turkey. Neil Prakash, 31, was arrested and flown to Australia on a chartered flight, arriving in Darwin on Friday, after being […]

Government & Politics

ASIO makes major change to Australia’s terrorism threat level The nation’s top spy has made a major adjustment to the nation’s terror level for the first time in close to a decade.

(NCA NewsWire) Australia’s terrorism threat level has been lowered for the first time in close to a decade, but one of the nation’s top spies has warned an attack could still occur in the next 12 months. Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation […]

Government & Politics

Terror laws: Australian Human Rights Commission, AFP weigh in on review Controversial legislation that aims to keep terrorists behind bars — even after they’ve completed their jail terms — has been subjected to intense scrutiny.

(NCA NewsWire) A controversial law that aims to keep terrorists behind bars after the completion of their prison sentences is under review. On Monday the independent national security legislation monitor (INSLM), Grant Donaldson SC, continued his assessment of Division 105A of the […]

Government & Politics

AFP faces grilling over ISIS brides in senate estimates The women who returned to Australia after marrying ISIS fighters are under ongoing investigation, federal police have revealed.

(NCA NewsWire) The four “ISIS brides” repatriated to Australia alongside their children could be subjected to control orders, with the matter under investigation. The Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw told senate estimates there was also an active investigation into whether the […]

Children & Teens

Four women and 13 children return home to Australia from Syria after secret flight A ‘joyous’ father has been reunited with his daughter and grandchildren after four Islamic State families returned to Australia.

(NCA NewsWire) An emotional man has been reunited with his daughter and grandchildren as four families returned home to Australia after being taken from a camp for Islamic State families in Syria. Seventeen people — four women and 13 children — touched […]

Law Enforcement

Mustafa Dirani’s ‘extreme beliefs’ laid bare in court Lawyers have argued a man was not privy to a terrorist conspiracy unfolding in Sydney’s west despite sharing 'extreme' Islamic material.

(NCA NewsWire) Lawyers for Mustafa Dirani have asked a jury to put his “extreme beliefs” aside in judging if he was part of a terrorist conspiracy that led to police accountant Curtis Cheng’s death. Mr Cheng was gunned down outside the Parramatta […]

Law Enforcement

Accused conspirator in police shooting supported killing ‘non-believers’: court A man accused of conspiring in the shooting of a police accountant allegedly supported 'killing non-believers,' a court has been told.

(NCA NewsWire) A man accused of conspiring with others in the lead-up to the shooting of police accountant Curtis Cheng faced trial before the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday. Mustafa Dirani is alleged to have been one of those who assisted 15-year-old […]

Legal

Hamdi Alqudsi found guilty of planning attack on navy base, courthouse and Mardi Gras in Sydney A terrorist gathered men who pledged allegiance to ISIS and made plans to attack Sydney’s navy base and the Mardi Gras parade.

(NCA NewsWire) A Sydney man has been convicted of leading a terrorist group that planned to attack the city’s navy base, a courthouse, the Mardi Gras parade and Israeli embassy. Hamdi Alqudsi, 48, faced the NSW Supreme Court for a trial after […]

Legal

Alleged terrorist Hamdi Alqudsi used ‘soccer game’ code in plans to send men to Syria, court told Phone taps of an accused terrorist who allegedly gathered men who pledged to ISIS used a code to try and avoid suspicion from police, a court has been told.

(NCA NewsWire) Extensive phone taps played to a court have revealed how the alleged leader of a Sydney-based terrorist group used a code in the form of an “A-League soccer team” to discuss alleged plans to send men to Syria to fight […]

Legal

Man allegedly plotted to fly ISIS flag on Sydney Harbour Bridge Phone taps allegedly uncovered a plot to fly the ISIS flag atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge and attack international tourists, a court has heard.

(NCA NewsWire) Extensive phone taps allegedly reveal the leader of a terrorist group plotted to fly the Islamic State flag on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and target international tourists in attacks, a court has heard. Hamdi Alqudsi, 48, faced the […]

Legal

Hamdi Alqudsi allegedly planned to attack navy base, courthouse and Mardi Gras in Sydney An accused terrorist gathered men who pledged allegiance to ISIS and allegedly made plans to attack Sydney’s navy base and the Mardi Gras parade, a court has been told.

(NCA NewsWire) A Sydney man is accused of leading a “terrorist group” called the Shura, which allegedly made plans to attack the city’s navy base, a courthouse, the Mardi Gras parade and Israeli embassy, a court has been told. Hamdi Alqudsi, 48, […]

Legal

IS fanatic Bourhan Hraichie’s non-parole period shortened on appeal The grim details of a prison attack carried out by an Islamic State-inspired religious fanatic have been laid bare as he appealed to have his sentence cut.

(NCA NewsWire) An Islamic State-inspired fanatic known for cruel attacks on fellow inmates has had his sentence cut after a court was found to have made errors when sentencing him. But Bourhan Hraichie, 25, whose crimes include carving an IS slogan into […]

Legal

Christmas Day terror plotter Ahmed Mohamed has sentence cut in ‘most unusual appeal’ A man who helped plot a Christmas Day terror attack to behead people in Melbourne and firebombed a mosque had a major win in court.

(NCA NewsWire) A man who firebombed a mosque and then weeks later was plotting to behead civilians on Christmas Day at an iconic Melbourne location has had his jail time cut. Ahmed Mohamed was found guilty of conspiring “in preparation for a […]

Legal

‘Fish brain’ Christmas terror plotter’s fight for freedom A 'fish brain' terrorist locked up for planning to behead and bomb in Melbourne on Christmas has appeared in court.

(NCA NewsWire) One of the men who helped plot a Christmas Day terror attack to behead and bomb people at Melbourne’s Federation Square has had his appeal dismissed after trying to argue the jury verdict was “unsafe and unsatisfactory.” Hamza Abbas was […]

Legal

‘Fish brain’ terror plotter Hamza Abbas launches new legal fight A 'fish brain' terror plotter locked up for planning to behead people at an iconic Melbourne location has launched a fresh legal fight.

(NCA NewsWire) One of the men who helped plot a Christmas Day terror attack to behead and bomb people at an iconic Melbourne location is arguing the jury verdict was “unsafe and unsatisfactory.” Hamza Abbas was found guilty of committing an act […]

Government & Politics

Fears of ‘chain-reaction’ 9/11 attack on Australia Australia was advised that its support of the US-led military response to the 9/11 attacks raised ‘our profile with the terrorists themselves.’

(NCA NewsWire) The Australian government feared terrorists would strike on our shores in the days after September 11 — and that the Defence Force was not equipped to fight back. Two decades since the attack on the United States that changed the […]