Brisbane man sent money to alleged terror associate in Syria

A man accused of trying to flee the country while awaiting trial on charges of advocating terrorism, has pleaded guilty to sending $1010 to an alleged terror associate in Syria.

Silhouette of militants with rifles.

A Redlands man accused of trying to escape the country while awaiting trial on charges of advocating terrorism, has pleaded guilty to dealing in proceeds of crime by sending $1010 to an alleged terror associate in Syria.

Omar Saghir’s case was in Brisbane District Court on Wednesday as prosecutors dropped a charge of making preparations for foreign incursions in Syria and replaced it with a new charge of dealing in $1010 in proceeds of crime, recklessly as to whether or not it would be used in a crime.

The charge which was dropped carried a maximum sentence of 10 years jail, while the new charge carries a maximum two years’ in prison.

The father of three from Alexandra Hills southeast of Brisbane pleaded guilty to that charge in court and will be sentenced following his upcoming trial on other terror-related charges.

Saghir, who has been in prison on remand for two year and seven months, intends to plead not guilty to eight charges of advocating terrorism and is set to face trial in the District Court on August 18.

Saghir’s lawyers applied for his release on bail in the Supreme Court today, with a plan to live in Waterford West, south of Brisbane, but Justice Rebecca Treston refused to grant bail.

Prosecutor Michael Bonasia submitted that Saghir should remain behind bars because he fled last time he was released and remains a risk of flight, even if it is fleeing interstate.

“He has had his chance, he was given the luxury of Supreme Court bail and he breached it,” Mr Bonasia told the court in reference to his alleged actions on June 30, 2022.

“He cut off his ankle monitor, bought a one-way ticket out of the country. He tried to get through airport check-in and airport security without his passport,” he said.

“This man is a man who tries to get around the practical complications like the absence of a passport,” he said.

Saghir is alleged to have booked a flight from Brisbane to Muscat, Oman, for that night.

Saghir, is an Australian citizen but does not have a passport, is accused of intentionally advocating for people to commit terrorism by posting eight videos on Facebook between March 12, 2019 and February 22, 2020.

Police allege that the videos showed Saghir speaking to the camera in “inspirational religious talks or sermons” where he is urging support for mujahideen fighters in Syria by providing men or weapons to “open up new fronts attacking those opposing ISIS (Islamic State)”.

He was arrested by the AFP in July 2021, following his deportation from Saudi Arabia after Australia cancelled his passport.

Legal Aid barrister Axel Beard submitted that Saghir should be granted bail because even if he is convicted at his trial in August he will not be sentenced to more time in prison because he has already served so much time behind bars awaiting trial.