Teen terror suspect ‘frightened’, not allowed to see her family

TEENAGE Sydney terror suspect Alo-Bridget Namoa was being held in “awful and inhumane” conditions and isolated from her family, her lawyer says.

Pictured at Burwood court is Sophie Toomey, the lawyer for 18 year old woman Alo-Bridget Namoa who has been arrested as part of an anti terrorism investigation. Picture: Richard Dobson

THE teenage Sydney terror suspect charged with refusing to answer Criminal Commission questions is in isolation in jail and hasn’t been able to see her family, her lawyer says.

Lawyer Sophie Toomey said her client was being held in “awful and inhumane” conditions.

“She is alone in a cell 23 hours a day, and she is only released from her cell to have moments of sunlight,” Ms Toomey said.

Her comments came after a detention application, being brought on by the DPP in respect of Namoa’s conditional release on charges of refusing to answer questions from the NSW Crime Commission, was adjourned in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday.

Namoa appeared via video link from custody on Monday as prosecutors launched a detention application against the 18-year-old who was granted conditional release after being charged

with refusing to answer questions during a NSW Crime Commission hearing.

Namoa was granted bail on February 11 on the crime commission charges, but was later re-arrested and charged with federal offences including possessing an item and collecting documents

connected with a terrorist act.

Outside the court, Ms Toomey said it was unusual to see her client shackled in handcuffs in the

video link.

Deprived of access: Sophie Toomey, the lawyer for Alo-Bridget Namoa. Picture: Richard Dobson

“I think that everything about the way they’re treating this young woman is unusual and not in the interests of justice,” she said.

“There’s a hysteria around the word ‘terrorism’ that of course has created a situation where she is in a very, very dire situation and incarcerated in awful and inhumane circumstances.”

The allegations relate to a hunting knife found inside the Auburn teen’s handbag and a document in Arabic providing instructions on how to make a detonator for an improvised explosive

device.

Namoa, who is married to a Sydney man charged with plotting a terror attack, has been formally refused bail on the fresh charges but has indicated she intends to launch a bid for release.

Ms Toomey said her client was extremely frightened and distressed.

“She’s a young woman who is currently being deprived of access to her family, who are not yet cleared by federal police to visit her in custody,” Ms Toohey said.

“She has no access to anyone — not even me, might I add. They have not even cleared me to see my own client in custody.”

Justice Ian Harrison ordered the detention and bail applications be heard together, adjourning both matters until March 14.

Originally published as Teen terror suspect ‘frightened’, not allowed to see her family