Islamic State supporter Radwan Dakkak slapped with interim control order a day before his release from prison
The Sydney man, who was taped pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, was sentenced for two counts of associating with a terrorist organisation earlier this year.
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A Sydney Islamic State supporter who pledged allegiance to a terrorist leader has been slapped with an interim control order a day before he is due to walk from jail.
Western Sydney man Radwan Dakkak was handed the order by the Federal Court of Australia on Thursday, following an urgent application by the Australian Federal Police before his slated release on January 1.
The order subjects him to a slew of requirements including a daily curfew, twice weekly reporting to police, a ban from international departure points and a ban on leaving NSW.
He cannot make statements to anyone regarding terrorist activity and is specifically banned from adhering to decrees issued by dead terrorist leaders Osama bin Laden, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, and others.
He is also barred from using Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram and other social media platforms and must seek AFP permission to use a mobile phone, computer, or internet service provider.
Dakkak was convicted of two counts of associating with a terrorist organisation and sentenced to 18 months jail by the Supreme Court of NSW on December 18.
As he been in custody since his arrest in July 2019, he is due for release on January 1.
Dakkak pleaded guilty to at least twice intentionally associating with Isaac El Matari in 2019, knowing he was a member of IS.
He also pleaded guilty to intentionally associating with Sheik Hassan Hussein and one or more people at Ahlut-Tawhid Publications, knowing they were members of IS.
In 2019, he pledged allegiance to the Caliphate and IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and required his fiance to do the same before he would marry her, the court order stated.
He also showed a close interest and support for IS and its activities from at least 2015 and frequently accessed IS and other extremist material supporting violent jihad on the internet.
Dakkak also promoted and distributed pro-IS material through social media and associated with IS supporters in Australia and overseas who were involved in committing terrorism offences.
The AFP told the court it did not anticipate Dakkak himself would commit a terrorist act.
But there was a “real risk” that without proper controls in place Dakkak would continue to work to support and facilitate terrorist acts by encouraging and supporting others, or further distributing radicalising propaganda, the AFP argued.
Justice David Yates ruled the order was “reasonably necessary and reasonably appropriate” to protect the public from a terrorist act.
Dakkak risks jail if he disobeys the order.
The matter will return to court on March 22 where the interim order will be confirmed, declared void or revoked.
If confirmed, it will remain in force for 12 months from Thursday.
Originally published as Islamic State supporter Radwan Dakkak slapped with interim control order a day before his release from prison