ISIS supporter plotted terror attacks involving knives in Sydney
A Sydney tradesman accused of being affiliated with Islamic State and plotting terror attacks on home soil lashed out at police on his way to court before refusing to see the magistrate.
Youssef Uweinat, a 21-year-old from Riverwood in the city’s west, was arrested at his family home on Wednesday morning by counter-terrorism police who had been probing him for six months.
He was charged with planning terrorist acts, advocating terrorism and being a member of a terrorist organisation.
Uweinat kicked at cameramen from his prisoner transport van when they tried to film him arriving at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday, Sydney Morning Herald reported.
He later refused to enter the courthouse as his charges were being heard and will now remain behind bars until at least December 17, when he is expected to apply for bail.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
On his Facebook page, Uweinat claims he works for a plumbing business based in western Sydney.
Police allege Uweinat posted increasingly extremist material online and sought to convince others – particularly teenagers – to pledge allegiance to IS.
Uweinat recently downloaded a document on how to use knives and other blunt instruments in a terrorist attack, police allege.
Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Ian McCartney said Uweinat’s activity was exclusively online.
‘We decided to act early because we needed to – we were concerned,’ Mr McCartney said on Wednesday.
Mr McCartney said authorities had relied upon 2018 cybersecurity legislation to access the man’s encrypted communications.
A terror attack in the United Kingdom last week – during which two people were fatally stabbed on London Bridge – was ‘not a key factor’ in Uweinat’s arrest but prompted authorities to keep a keen eye on the accused.
‘This activity is not connected to the London terrorist attack. But I think with that and this activity unfortunately this problem is not going away.
‘When there’s a terrorist act committed in another country that generates significant media attention we’re always concerned what impact that will have on people in Australia in terms of that radicalisation continuum.’
Additional arrests are not anticipated. NSW Police Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton said the ‘message couldn’t be clearer’.
‘While there was no specific threat in relation to this individual, the alleged actions of this man were of significant concern to the NSW JCTT, and we have responded accordingly.’
The man has been refused bail to appear in the Parramatta Local Court on Thursday. If found guilty he will face a lifetime sentence.
Source: Daily Mail
