Jail time unlikely for Isa Kocoglu after funding Islamic State
Melbourne man Isa Kocoglu pleaded guilty to sending money to an Islamic State fighter throughout 2014 before denouncing the terrorist group in court. Now it seems unlikely he will face prison time.
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A terrorist sympathiser who sent money to a senior Islamic State leader in Syria could avoid jail, with his lawyers arguing he was a “giving, family man” who had been led astray.
Melbourne man Isa Kocoglu sent about $3000 to IS fighter and chief propagandist John Georgelas, also known as Yahya al-Bahrumi, throughout 2014 via third-party deposits and PayPal accounts.
Kocoglu, 45, pleaded guilty to two counts of sending money to Georgelas with the intention of supporting foreign incursions before denouncing the terrorist group through his lawyer in court on Friday.
The court heard the money was to fund a propaganda website and was not for weapons.
Kocoglu and Georgelas began communicating in 2013 via Facebook Messenger when the Hampton Park pensioner was seeking religious solace following the death of one of his twin sons in a house fire.
His lawyer said Kocoglu became infatuated with the American-born terrorist who groomed and manipulated him by “pulling on his heart strings”.
“He befriended Georgelas who got his hooks into (him),” his lawyer said.
The court heard Georgelas told Kocoglu: “I love Islam, I love writing about it, but finances are tough” before asking his Australian friend for a “favour”.
The favour was $100 to buy groceries, but soon it developed into the ongoing transactions to fund Georgelas’s hard-core online messages.
Georgelas was thought to be the “leading producer of high-end English-language propaganda” for IS when the group held territory in Syria and Iraq.
The men shared links to IS teachings and photos and Georgelas coached Kocoglu on how to respond to those who challenged the caliphate.
When the foreign fighter asked Kocoglu for money, he replied: “consider it done”.
Australian Federal Police raided Kocoglu’s home in October 2016 but he was not charged until a year later.
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He has been on bail for almost two years and has abided by strict reporting and curfew conditions, his lawyer said.
County Court judge Gregory Lyons said he did not intend to sentence Kocoglu to a term of imprisonment.
“But there needs to be a period of monitoring,” Judge Lyons said.
He was considering a recognisance release order — a community-based “good behaviour” order.
The plea hearing continues