Test cricketer Usman Khawaja’s brother Arsalan charged over fake terror hit list
Police say the brother of Aussie cricket star Usman Khawaja wrote in a notebook belonging to his University of NSW co-worker which accused him of plotting to assassinate Australian politicians. His colleague ended up wrongly spending a month in a notorious high security prison.
The brother of Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has walked free on bail after he allegedly concocted a fake terror “hit list” to frame a colleague over a woman.
About 4.30pm on Tuesday Arsalan Khawaja left Parramatta Police Station, where he must report three times a week under his bail conditions.
Khawaja said nothing to waiting journalists but took off in a car with his father Tariq who paid a $50,000 surety.
Police say Khawaja wrote in a notebook belonging to his University of NSW co-worker Mohamed Kamer Nilar Nizamdeen which accused him of plotting to assassinate Australian politicians.
The 26-year-old Sri Lankan IT staffer was wrongfully arrested in August and spent a month in a notorious high security prison before charges were dropped.
Officers swooped on Khawaja on Tuesday and he fronted Parramatta Local Court charged with attempt to pervert justice and forgery by making a false document.
Federal and state counter-terrorism police allege the 39-year-old Westmead man attempted to set up Mr Nizamdeen in a fight over a girl.
Khawaja’s father Tariq has stumped up a $50,000 surety after bail was not opposed by commonwealth prosecutors.
Magistrate Tim Keady banned Khawaja from contacting any witnesses or UNSW IT department employees and from coming within 100 metres of the Kensington campus.
“There are a significant number of names of people who may be called as witnesses,” he said.
“These are the people with whom you must not communicate.”
Khawaja must also report to Parramatta police station three times a week, surrender his passport and not leave the state or go near airports.
The magistrate ordered Khawaja, who fronted court wearing a white shirt and glasses, only to use one mobile phone and his matter will return to Parramatta Local Court on February 12.
His brother Usman Khawaja, who is at Adelaide Oval prepping for Australia’s first test match against India next week, was reluctant to talk about his brother.
“This is a matter for the police to deal with,” he said.
“Please respect my privacy and my family’s privacy during this time.”
In October Mr Nizamdeen was cleared of planning attacks on former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, his ex deputy Julie Bishop and the Sydney Opera House.
The case sensationally fell apart when experts found no proof the handwriting in the notebook belonged Mr Nizamdeen.
That month officers raided Khawaja’s Westmead home as part of the ongoing investigation.
It’s alleged that sometime between July 1 and August 30 Khawaja made a false document by writing in the notebook to “influence the exercise of public duty, being investigative functions carried out by the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police”.
It’s further alleged that between August 30 and September 13 Khawaja gave untrue evidence to the AFP and NSW Police “in respect of actual or contemplated proceedings against Kamer Nizamdeen”.
Mr Nizamdeen vowed to sue NSW Police over his wrongful arrest after he spent four weeks in solitary confinement at Goulburn’s Supermax jail.
Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing today said the force has paid the star commerce graduate’s court costs, regret his time in custody but again refused to apologise.
“We feel very sorry for him and what has happened to him … [but] we had to act early at the time, given the threats contained in that notebook,” he said.
“We have no information to suggest that there is any ongoing threat to the community arising from our inquiries into the matter.”
After returning home to Sri Lanka last month, Mr Nizamdeen labelled the investigation as “immature, unprofessional, irresponsible, embarrassing, and biased.”
Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing said they will be alleging Nizamdeen was “set up in a planned and calculated manner” in a personal grievance over a woman.
“The person who is responsible for what occurred to him is the person we’re alleging manufactured this document,” he said.
“We have no information to suggest that there is any ongoing threat to the community arising from our inquiries into the matter.”
The notebook was found in a drawer in Mr Nizamdeen’s desk at UNSW, where he worked in IT after graduating with a commerce degree, and where he is regarded as a model for foreign students.
It is also where Mr Khawaja worked, having settled in Australia as a child after his family relocated from Pakistan.
Usman Khawaja was reluctant to talk about his brother’s charges.
“I won’t be saying much, guys. This is a matter for the police to deal with. out of respect for the process it would be inappropriate for me to make any further comment,” Khawaja said.
“I just ask for you to please respect my privacy and my family’s privacy at this time.”
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