Men arrested on ‘periphery’ of Dural caravan terror plot met in Silverwater jail

Two of the three people arrested on the “periphery” of the Dural caravan terror plot met while serving time in a Sydney jail, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

Two of the three people arrested on the “periphery” of the Dural caravan terror plot met each other while serving time in a Sydney jail.

Simon Nichols and Scott Marshall were both behind bars at Silverwater prison in 2023 when they met, before striking up a friendship that continued once both were on the outside in 2024.

Nichols, 39, Marshall, 36, and his girlfriend Tammie Farrugia, 34, are the trio who police have said were arrested at the “periphery” of the caravan anti-Semitic terror plot, despite none of them actually being charged over the caravan loaded with explosives found last month at Dural.

Nichols’ father, Lance Nichols, said he believed his son had met Marshall through a “drug court” rehabilitation program, but he was confident his boy had not been involved in any potential terror plot.

Simon Nichols’ mate Scott Marshall (right), pictured with his girlfriend Tammie Farrugia. Nichols and Marshall met in prison, with all three were arrested on the “periphery” of the Dural caravan investigation.

There is no suggestion of any involvement in the caravan plot by Lance Nichols.

“(Simon) met them through drug court, I think. They’re not besties, that’s for sure,” Mr Nichols told The Daily Telegraph.

“I met (Tammie and Scott) last year when I went over there to pick up a car.

“(Simon) wouldn’t have done it, he’s not that stupid. He’s stupid, but he’s not that stupid.”

The Australian Federal Police raided Mr Nichols home in Sydney’s far west last Friday, seizing a number of items including a diary, notebook and documents.

Mr Nichols said another reason he was confident his son would have had no involvement in an anti-Semitic terror plot was that his sister — Simon’s aunt — was Jewish and that while they were not followers of the faith, they attended a number of Jewish events together.

“My sister’s Jewish, I’ve got (Simon’s) little hat (kippah) inside from when he was a boy, I was best man at her wedding to a bloke who is Jewish,” Mr Nichols said.

A copy of the search warrant issued during a raid in Emu Plains last week, identifying the focus areas of the investigation. Picture: Supplied

Police sources with knowledge of the joint counter-terrorism team investigation confirmed they were aware of Nichols’ Jewish links.

Nichols was already in custody on remand when the terror investigation into the caravan began, having been arrested by the NSW Police Organised Crime Squad over the discovery of eight stolen cars, fitted with cloned number plates, known in the underworld as “kill cars”.

He was charged with a total of 15 offences, relating to car theft and rebirthing, and also possessing fake number plates.

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