Convicted terrorist Mazen Touma hit with peeping Tom charges
A convicted terrorist who became the poster boy for law enforcement’s prison rehabilitation program has found himself in court after being charged with taking upskirt photos of women.
The Express
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A convicted terrorist who spent 12 years in Supermax prison has appeared in court accused of taking photos of people’s private parts without their consent.
Mazen Touma, a 37-year-old father of two from Roselands, had previously spent 12-years in Supermax prison for sourcing ammunition and explosives for the ‘Pendennis Nine’ terrorist cell intent on carrying out attacks in Sydney and Melbourne.
He was granted parole in 2017 after spending two years participating in the Proactive Integrated Support Model (PRISM) deradicalisation program and has since worked as a plasterer and painter in up-market Sydney suburbs.
But police charged Touma yesterday with four offences for allegedly taking photos and videos of people’s private parts without their consent.
He rejects the charges and has entered not guilty pleas.
On Friday, Bansktown Local Court heard the offences allegedly took place in Kmart department stores. Police charge sheets allege they took place in Bondi Junction and Chatswood.
As his defence lawyer applied for Touma’s bail, offering a security bond of $20,000 to Magistrate Mark Richardson, his family was quick to call for a raise.
“$50,000 even,” his brother-in-law said.
“Another zero on that ($20,000) and I might even think about it,” Mr Richardson said.
“He is a flight risk because if he goes down on this, he knows he’s going to go to jail, and you know it too. It’s a certainty.”
The defence lawyer halted an argument mid-sentence and asked the magistrate if he can confer with the family for a moment.
“I’ve just spoken to the family members,” he said, “and the most they can provide is $100,000 for surety.”
The defence lawyer offered adding additional conditions to the bail application. These include banning Touma from shopping centres, from having a phone with a camera, being held under house arrest and having to wear an ankle monitor.
The prosecution argued he could commit more offences and poses a flight risk due to the years he’s already spent behind bars.
“This offence took place on more than one occasion,” the prosecutor said.
“It’s a matter where he takes advantage of situations where people are not paying attention.”
Magistrate Richardson acknowledged the surety being posted was a significant amount.
However, he said: “This is the kind of offence you live with today, which is very difficult to detect, to monitor, to control. The only way I can mitigate against that risk is to make sure he’s not part of the community.”
Mr Richardson denied Touma’s application for bail. His case will return to Bankstown Court on March 11, 2020.