Melbourne man arrested for allegedly directing ISIS-inspired mass-attack instructions
A 65-year-old Melbourne resident was detained by counter-terrorism police on suspicion of acting as an Islamic State propagandist and providing guidance for mass-casualty attacks.
Counter-terrorism agents in Australia seized a 65-year-old man at his Carlton home in Melbourne, alleging he functioned as a propagandist for the Islamic State. The Australian Federal Police claim he transmitted about 10,000 items—including documents, messages, images, videos and audio—depicting executions and torture, and that he pledged loyalty to the group without ever entering its Middle-East strongholds. Investigators also allege he supplied guides on avoiding police detection and on planning mass-casualty attacks.
The suspect is expected to be charged with membership in a terrorist organization and offenses related to violent extremist material. Officials note that more than 200 Australians have joined ISIS since 2012, part of the roughly 50,000 foreign fighters the group once attracted. IS, which at its height controlled an area comparable to Great Britain, has since fragmented into cells in places such as Nigeria, Mozambique and Mali.
Why it matters
The arrest highlights ongoing domestic terrorism threats and the role of online propaganda in facilitating extremist attacks.
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