Melbourne man accused of funding Islamic State senior terrorist via beauty website
A MAGISTRATE has criticised federal police for failing to oppose the bail of a disability pensioner accused of sending money to an Islamic State fighter.
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A MAGISTRATE has criticised federal police for failing to oppose the bail of a disability pensioner accused of sending money to an Islamic State fighter.
Hampton Park father Isa Kocoglu, 43, stands accused of running a Muslim beauty website that funnelled cash to key Islamic State operatives and preached jihad.
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Disability pensioner Isa Kocoglu, 43, was on Tuesday charged with supporting and funding a notorious American IS figure in Syria, John Georgelas, better known as Yahya, one of the terror group’s chief propagandists.
He also has links to a Melbourne IS figure, known as the “Hate Preacher”, who cannot be named as he is facing serious terrorism charges.
Mr Kocoglu was on Tuesday charged with providing support to a person who has entered a foreign state with the intention of undertaking hostile activities, and denied bail.
Agent Rhys Hart told a court Mr Kocoglu acted as website administrator, hosting Q & A sessions with the terrorist and running articles dictating how Muslim women should look and behave. Questions ranged from how women should manicure their eyebrows to whether they should pray while menstruating.
The Australian Federal Police said that the website also spread Yahya’s vile teachings and “radical interpretation of Islam”.
The court heard Mr Kocoglu is accused of transferring $3789.23 to an IS fighter.
Yahya has written extensively for the terrorist group’s gruesome magazine Dabiq.
One of the popular pages Mr Kocoglu and Yahya are said to have run had over 1200 members, mostly Australians.
The Hate Preacher also allegedly used Mr Kocoglu’s websites to publish rants.
The Herald Sun had been investigating Mr Kocoglu and his associates for more than a year, but was asked by the AFP not to publish details until its inquiry was finalised.
An AFP statement of facts, released during a bail hearing in another terrorist case, says the Hate Preacher used the Facebook page to solicit PayPal donations to Yahya and an IS fighter’s cause.
Police claim Yahya used the website to publicly declare his allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
AFP investigators say Mr Kocoglu knew of the pledge.
The AFP began investigating in October 15, 2015, after receiving information Mr Kocoglu may have been facilitating the transfer of funds off shore to IS members. Detectives claim electronic devices found during a search of his Hampton Park address in June support the allegations.
It is believed Yahya began the Facebook page Mr Kocoglu now runs, and the website. The website has since been pulled down but the Facebook page is active.
The Herald Sun believes Mr Kocoglu developed links to the Hate Preacher, whose extremists writings were published on the website.
In one post, the Hate Preacher said the US feared it would be defeated by Islam.
In recorded conversations entered into evidence, the Hate Preacher is heard saying that Yahya is his mentor.
Police have evidence the Hate Preacher and Mr Kocoglu communicated with Yahya overseas using encrypted messaging services.
Offline, Mr Kocoglu lives a normal suburban existence, picking up his children from school and helping his wife with the shopping.
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He told the Herald Sun that he knew the Hate Preacher, but denied his friend was an IS fighter or member.
He claimed there was nothing illegal about his PayPal transactions.
“(The Hate Preacher) did nothing wrong and I did nothing wrong,” Mr Kocoglu said.
The AFP alleges that Mr Kocoglu and the Hate Preacher have met online and also in person a number of times.
Mr Kocoglu has also been linked to the Al Furqan Islamic Centre.
Several Al-Furqan members have gone to Syria to fight with terrorist groups, and one — Sevdet Besim — was this year found guilty of plotting to commit a terrorist attack.
Another former member, Numan Haider, was killed when he attacked two counter-terrorism police with a knife.
Mr Kocoglu was refused bail on Tuesday in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, after magistrate Luisa Bazzani queried the AFP’s lack of opposition to his conditional release.
“His ideology has not changed,” she said.
She heard the that the AFP believed Mr Kocoglu had continued to fund IS even after being interviewed in August 2014.
“So he hasn’t simply ceased,” Ms Bazzani asked Agent Hart.
“No, I believe he continued for some time after,” Agent Hart said.
Ms Bazzani said: “I find the position taken by federal police today, quite frankly, difficult to understand.”
“This is a person we allege was acting alone”
Earlier on Tuesday Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said there was no suggestion others were involved.
“This is a person we allege was acting alone,” Mr Patton said.
“We are exploring how he came to be a supporter of IS.
“He certainly holds extremist views.”
The Herald Sun has been investigating the accused financier for a year and has held the story from publication for eight months, at the request of the AFP.
A search warrant was executed in June 2016 at the suspect’s property, with the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team probe described as ‘painstaking’.
The suspect was continually monitored after the 2016 raid at his home and police did not believe he was a risk of fleeing.
“Clearly they need money to fight overseas,” Mr Patton said.
“This arrest is important and sends a strong message. This website sought donations for a foreign fighter.”
Electronic material seized in the last 16 months is being examined.
Commander John Beveridge, State Manager for Victoria and Tasmania at the AFP, said: “One of the reasons it has taken so long to come to this point is to gather evidence offshore.
“The JCTT is determined to follow the money trail.”
The JCTT — comprising officers from the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and Victoria Police — arrested Mr Kocoglu at his Hampton Park home, 40km southeast of Melbourne’s CBD.
National Manager of Counter Terrorism, AFP Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney, said there was no current or impending threat to the community as a result of Tuesday’s activity.
He said the arrest came after an investigation spanning more than 16 months.
“These types of investigations are complex and protracted,” Assistant Commissioner McCartney said.
“Our investigators invest countless hours to ensure the safety of Australians, and to bring to account those who seek to harm our community and way of life.”
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