Inside Anzac Day terror plot: Lone wolf’s scheme to launch mayhem
A MAN who pleaded guilty to a terrorism plot left a chilling “martyrdom note”, obtained by the Herald Sun, in which he vowed to strike “fear into the enemies of Allah”.
A MAN who pleaded guilty to a terrorism plot left a chilling “martyrdom note” in which he vowed to strike “fear into the enemies of Allah and establish his jihad in Australia”.
Sevdet Besim pleaded guilty to a plot to run over a police officer on Anzac Day last year and then use the officer’s gun in a bloody rampage.
The Herald Sun has now obtained access to his horrifying martyr note after a federal circuit court judge approved the release of documents in a high-profile counter-terrorism case.
It can also be revealed that, according to the Australian Federal Police, Besim and his close friend Harun Causevic were motivated by a gruesome image of the battlefield killing of a terrorist friend, Irfaan Hussein, in Syria.
In his affidavit, AFP Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan said Besim fully expected to be killed if he carried out his attack.
Chillingly, Mr Gaughan remains convinced Mr Causevic, who stored military-style knives in his bedroom, and viewed Islamic State propaganda, remains a risk to the public.
Terrorism charges against Mr Causevic were dropped last August due to insufficient evidence but he pleaded guilty to a number of weapon charges.
“I believe for at least as long as Mr Causevic remains unable to travel overseas to fight for Islamic State, his focus and plans must remain on carrying out a terrorist act in Australia,’’ Mr Gaughan said.
He said he did not believe Mr Causevic’s current benign behaviour represented a “long-lasting change”
Mr Gaughan said that this behaviour was more likely influenced by his parents’ concerns, an impending jail term, and suspicions he was being monitored by police. “I do not believe this behaviour represents a long-lasting change in Mr Causevic’s beliefs, view or intentions,” he said.
Mr Gaughan also detailed Mr Causevic’s erratic driving, backtracking, and not taking the direct routes to destinations since his release from jail.
The martyr note was recovered from Besim’s Samsung phone. Besim claimed he was inspired to carry out an attack after the death of his close friend Numan Haider, who was shot dead when he attacked two counter-terrorism officers in 2014.
Besim said he believed the West had always been at war with Islam and Muslims.
“This war had always had a impact on me, however recently my brother Numan (May Allah accept him) carried out his attack, this opened my eyes up to the reality of who the enemy is,’’ he wrote.
“Since then a growing feeling within me has led me to decide to carry out my own (attack). To establish my jihad in Australia ... and put fear into those who are enemies to Allah and his religion.”
Last week Federal Circuit Court judge Norah Hartnett confirmed a control order on Mr Causevic, which restricts his movements and bars his associating with former members of Springvale’s radical Al Furqan Information Centre.
Judge Hartnett removed a condition that Causevic wear a tracking device. But she found other measures in the order would on the “balance of probabilities” assist in preventing a terrorist act.
Intricate details of the plot are set out in Mr Gaughan’s 81-page affidavit.
It says Besim and Mr Causevic behaved as though on a military operation, undertaking reconnaissance and changing mobile phones when they believed the police might be on to them.
Mr Gaughan said the pair also spoke in code on the phone using “arm wrestle” to mean carrying out an attack.
This was disputed by lawyers for Mr Causevic.
Police believed Mr Causevic’s “escalating’’ behaviour was similar to Haider’s in the days before he was shot dead.
Police believed Mr Causevic did reconnaissance at the Shrine of Remembrance and the Dandenong RSL. Besim also conducted Google searches on the Shrine and the Dandenong RSL dawn services.
Judge Hartnett did not find significant evidence that Mr Causevic did “reconnaissance’’.
SEVDET BESIM’S MARTYR NOTE, CREATED ON HIS PHONE ON APRIL 18, 2015
“A while ago world leaders declared war on Islam and Muslims, invading our lands, dividing us into separate nations, installing puppets, killing and torturing Muslims.
This war had always had a impact on me, however recently my brother Numan (May Allah accept him) carried out his attack, this opened my eyes up to the reality of who the enemy is.
Since then a growing feeling within me has led me to decide to carry out my own. To establish a Jihad in Australia, to fight the oppressors, those who have implemented man made law, to fight to make Allahs word known and the highest, to defend Islam and put fear into those who are enemies to Allah and his religion insha’Allah.
At first I wanted nothing else but to leave this country and live in the Islamic State, however after many complications with my passport I realised this could not be done.
So I started to prepare myself for my attack against the enemies of Islam…”
INSIDE THE ANZAC JIHAD PLOT
RADICAL plans to terrorise Anzac Day were borne out in messages.
Sevdet Besim’s conversations with a UK provocateur reveal the plot to run down a police officer in a car and behead him, take the officer’s gun and embark on a shooting rampage.
It would be a “lone wolf’’ act, and a suicide mission.
In an affidavit submitted to the federal court by AFP Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan, a forensic examination of Besim’s computer and phone revealed they had both been used to research Anzac Day activities in Melbourne.
Police were convinced Harun Causevic, whose terrorism charges were dropped against him, was in on the plot.
Besim, Mr Causevic and others who were arrested were friends of Numan Haider, killed during a terror attack on police officers at Endeavour Hills police station in 2014.
Its impact put them on a collision course with authorities, especially when Besim and Mr Causevic were not given passports. Authorities would tail them and tap their phones and devices.
The affadavit details how Mr Causevic drove by the Shrine of Remembrance in the city, and later the Dandenong RSL, in the hours after Besim had used his phone to look up its Facebook page, forming part of the case against him.
Besim and Mr Causevic would regularly communicate, with the AFP noting they communicated 15 times in one day.
Worryingly, the AFP boss acknowledges that Australia faces a heightened threat of “lone wolf’’ terrorist attacks from those who are not members of a terror group, but take on their ideology.
And as Besim’s communications with the UK teen reveal, the plot was unsophis-ticated. Even a mate of Mr Causevic, who is not named, cottoned on to something being up before Mr Causevic, Besim and others in their friendship group were arrested on April 18, 2015.
Unknown male: “I know exactly what you’re going to pull mate, you’re going to come here next Friday, camera’s ready, this is awesome ... (indecipherable) ... Have a frickin’ AK in your ...’’ before the recording becomes inaudible.
The AK is said to be likely to refer to the two Cold Steel AK-47 knives seized from Mr Causevic’s bedroom, along with a black Shahada flag, a new phone and a camouflage-print tactical vest.
Besim preferred the Rambo First Blood Part II knife, located under his car’s driver’s seat.
But Besim’s note, created on April 18, 2015 — the day he was arrested — reveals his intention to be a martyr for Islam.
The UK male gives Besim two options — “Hijra. Attack. Pick wisely. Think. Pray.’’
Besim cannot get a passport, so the choice is narrowed to an attack on home soil.
The UK male prepares Besim for his operation, telling him to “get his stamina up’’ by running. He also urges him to attack early “because australia intelligence is crazy wallah’’ and to “strike sooner yearn for shahada’’. Besim is also told to dress to blend in until he is ready to attack, but on that day he is to wear all black.
Importantly, the affidavit states the UK male tells Besim he wants him to do “this’’ on his own, the affidavit states.
Besim’s exchanges over electronic communications, including an encrypted service, begin on March 16. UK male: “This operation will have to br as soon as possible akhi OK?
Besim: “Yeh I guess as soon as everything is in check.”
The pair discusses weapons and Haider’s attack the year before.
Besim: “This brother was very close with me, i was with him all day the day of his op, this is why intelligence investigate my passpott ...”
On March 18, two days after their initial communication, Anzac Day terror is firm in Besim’s mind.
UK male: “Tell me suitable timing. ... Date?”
Besim: Hmmm. April 25th, ANZAC DAY.”
Besim has pleaded guilty to planning an act of terrorism and is yet to be sentenced.
THE HATE FILES
Sevdet Besim’s MARCH 23 communication with a UK radical:
Besim: Quick thing I wanted to bring up
Lets say im pulled over between now and the op
And the dog cops wanna search my car
UK male: yh
Besim: I got a machette, knife, tazer and shahadah flag in the car, jst the flag and knife could get me lik 2 yrs.
UK male: ...
Besim: In my mind i would stab the dogs and go on a rampage
This would obviously stop my op
Ahahhah
Terrorist Numan Haider to police days before his deadly attack at Endeavour Hills Police Station in September, 2014:
“I am not going to blow up the shopping centre today”
“I’ve got nothing against you personally, it’s against your Government and Australia”
“You will pay for what happened in Brisbane and Sydney today” (police anti-terror raids)
Harun Causevic in an intercepted call on April 8, 2015, to the Australian Passports Office, where he was asking who was investigating his application for a passport:
“Do you reckon it’s those ASIO dogs or AFP dogs?
“It’s probably AFP that’s doing it, the little piece of s---s
“Yeah, but tell ‘em to call me up before I ... they’re doin’ my life in. Little AFP piece of s---s.
“It’s probably ASIO or AFP, huh?
“I know it’s under investigation but can you tell ASIO, those piece of s---s, to call me, I want to talk to ‘em.
“And tell them they can go fix themselves ‘cause...
“Little Australian piece of s---s. Doin’ my life in.
Sevdet Besim’s first communication with UK radical on MARCH 16, 2015:
UK male: If I kill a civilian from any countrys of coalition im i guilty of sin>
Besim: No, because these ppl r supporting and assisting the killing
of muslims.....
Besim: ...ive been motivated for the last 4 months, everytime i go out i
feel lik doing something
Besim: My initial thought was to storm afp hq in Melbourne
UK male: On the day, your going
to have to purchase some stuff
Black clothing.
Besim: ok.
UK male: A scarf
Draw up a tawheed flag
The day of operation, your going to smash your phone into pieces then burn it insshallah
THEN ON MARCH 18:
Besim: Subhan’Allah i was supposed to leave jan this year to go Dubai i had it all thought out, then when my passport went under investigation i knew what i had to do
UK male: Ayt akhi enought of dunya, lers talk operation
Tell me suitable timing. Date?
Besim: Hmmm
April 25th ANZAC DAY
UK male: Ah. Sounds good
Besim: Make sure the dogs remember this as well as there fallen ‘heros’
UK male: you break into someones house and get your first taste of beheading
Besim: If i can’t get a weapon, i wanna jst drive find a cop walking run him over take ghanimah and leave his head a few meters from his body
MARCH 19:
UK male: Knife attack on a police etc
Car op on police
Gun attack on police
UK male: Police is our target akhi
Besim: ...
Tough to decide between the 3...
UK male: Yep
Besim: All so good
UK male: 3 options again
Besim: Akhi endevour hill police station very close to my house
UK male: Machetes
Can u get em? Easy right?
Besim: Easy
UK male: Yep well basically
Your going to sharpen as hard as u can
Then run a police over and decapitate
Besim: yep got a lot of tools in
the back
Aighy sounds lik a plan
UK male: Run cop shank neck when
all them gun police show up you go and try to attack them, dont look
back expect a bullet inside you
Cos only with a gun u can expect guaranteed shahada ygm
Besim: tru
Sounds lik a plan
Besim: But these cops will still
shoot even with a knife
Besim: They did that with Numan r.a
MARCH 21:
UK male: I say if we wait 85 days till Ramadhan?
Besim: Woooow 85days?
UK male: I want your op to be in
the blessed month
Besim: Tru but subhan’Allah i
been wanting to do this since September last yr
Besim: I jst dnt want dunya distracting me, 25th is a good day coz its anzac day and this will mean they will remember this on that day every yr after insha’Allah
MARCH 22:
Besim: Akhi I really wanna jst run a cop over and cut head and keep going till i get shahadah insha’Allah
Besim: Its bout size of my forearm
UK male: Mashallah akhi thats
a weapon!
Besim: Yeh
UK male: Handle is perfect for
tearing through throat
Besim: I guess if the cop is by himself (which is rare) ill do my best with time. Main thing i guess is that i send the dog to hell, after im sure enough his dead ill go for his gun
MARCH 24:
Besim: So far the plan is
To run a cop over or the anzac parade & then continue to kill a cop then take ghanimah and run to shahadah?
UK male: Bidhnillah ill give orders soon but its looking along that
line akhi
MARCH 25:
Besim: My motivation is jannah itself, its the sacrifice of my life and my dunya to fight the enemy of Allah.
DEAD MATE’S PHOTO DROVE TERROR PLOT, POLICE CLAIM
THE gruesome image of the corpse of one of their childhood friends in Syria confirmed Sevdet Besim and Harun Causevic’s desire to carry out a terrorist attack, federal police say.
A picture of Irfaan Hussein killed in fighting in early 2015 was spread among his extremist friends before the attack was planned.
The Herald Sun can now reveal Hussein — who was friends with Besim and Causevic — died in the same battle as another Melbourne man, Suhan Rahman.
The disturbing image was revealed during the AFP’s successful application to put Causevic on a Control Order.
The two Melbourne men were killed in 2015 fighting the Kurdish YPG near the Turkish border, their bloody bodies laid out on a grassy field and stripped of weapons.
The body of Roxburgh Park terrorist Rahman, who once called on Australian Muslims to “spill blood”, was among about 10 bodies laid out in the field.
Besim texted Causevic a link to a website, which showed their friend’s mutilated body.
Numan Haider — who was shot dead as he attacked two counter-terrorism officers — took Hussein to the airport in September 2014. The AFP allege Besim decided to behead a police officer on Anzac Day in retribution for Haider’s death. While the AFP allege Causevic was aware of the plot, there was not enough evidence to charge him.
The AFP allege Causevic had the Turkish phone number of Hussein and two other men in Syria.
Police claim the three phone numbers were used to aid the travel of Australians to Islamic State territory.
In deputy commissioner Neil Gaughan’s affidavit to the Federal Circuit Court, he says the pair knew each other and he believed Causevic saw a photo of his body in March this year. Phone records also show that Causevic called Hussein several times before he left Australia.
