Goulburn jail inmate charged after alleged terror plans

A man has been charged with terror offences after police found letters and a notebook with Islamic extremist ideology in his Goulburn jail cell.

A man has been charged with terror offences after police found letters and a notebook with Islamic extremist ideology in his Goulburn jail cell.

The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team had been investigating multiple people allegedly engaged in terrorism since 2018, and police claim 24-year-old Tukiterangi Lawrence was an associate of these people.

Police said there is no ongoing threat with Lawrence behind bars. Picture: NSW Police/AFP

Lawrence was also the centre of an investigation from the High Risk Terrorist Offenders Unit, which ended with police being granted an order to keep the man behind bars while they continued to investigate.

In October 2019, Corrective Services and counter-terrorism officers raided his cell at Goulburn Supermax, where police say he was on remand for unrelated matters.

Sources said Lawrence, who was in prison for unrelated matters, held radical Islamic views which police will allege were detailed in letters found in his cell.

It is understood that Lawrence was allegedly writing letters that were sent through means other than Corrective’s mailing system and that they related to terrorism.

However, it is not known how the letters were being sent.

It is also understood that a notebook was found during the raid of his cell.

The notepad allegedly contained writing where Lawrence expressed that he believes in Jihad.

There was also material that allegedly showed Lawrence felt police, Corrective Services guards and others deserved to be attacked.

And given he was likely soon to be released from prison, it was feared he might act on the messages in the material.

It is also understood he had access to The Terrorist’s Handbook, which details how to make bombs, and the ook of Jihad, which calls for a holy war.

On Friday he was charged with two counts of acts done in preparation for, or planning terrorist acts.

Lawrence will face court later in the year. Picture: NSW Police/AFP

NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police have said there is no ongoing danger to Australians from the 24-year-old.

“With the good work conducted by the NSW JCTT and NSW Police’s High Risk Terrorism Offenders team, this investigation uncovered alleged plots to harm the very men and women who our community members trust to keep them safe,” AFP Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee said.

“It shows why it is imperative for our officers to stay one step ahead of people who wish to turn to violent means to achieve their own ends. The AFP and our partners will tirelessly investigate and target this type of offending and bring perpetrators before the courts,” he said.

NSW Police Force Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton praised the teamwork of police.

“Our investigations teams are complemented by a range of specialist units, which seek to identify and disrupt potential terrorist plans by individuals or groups, monitor those at risk of radicalisation and detect those who seek to do harm within our community,” Assistant Commissioner Walton said.

Lawrence will face Parramatta Local Court on April 2