Victorian terrorism probes face delays due to lack of translators

Victoria’s counter-terror team is having to send potentially sensitive intercepts to external translators due to a lack of Arabic-speaking staff.

Arabic translators played a key role in the case against members of the ‘tinny terrorists’, including Robert ‘Musa’ Cerantonio (centre). Picture: AP

Victoria’s counter-terror team has to send potentially sensitive intercepts to external translators because it has a lack of Arabic-speaking staff.

The Sunday Herald Sun believes concerns over the issue were raised late last year during a public meeting.

During the meeting a member of the squad said a lack of Arabic speakers in the Joint Counter Terrorism Team sometimes led to delays.

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In October there were no Arabic-speaking staff in the JCTT. It is not know if any have since joined.

“Staff are monitoring conversations, some of which are in Arabic,” a source said.

“They are then sent out to get translated, which can slow things down.”

The Sunday Herald Sun has been told the issue is not seen as a major problem by staff but that some counter-terrorism investigative work would be done more quickly if JCTT officers had a full-time Arabic translator on its team.

The JCTT includes officers from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO.

Arabic translators played a key role in the case against members of the ‘tinny terrorists’, including Robert ‘Musa’ Cerantonio (centre). Picture: AP

“Victoria Police doesn’t confirm intelligence or operational matters with regard to its Joint Counter Terrorism Team,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

However, she said “we don’t have an issue with access to the resources we need when required”.

Arabic translators play a key role in counter-terrorism probes. In 2017, lawyers for the “tinny terrorists” disputed a police interpreter’s translation of terms in a hearing at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.

The lawyer queried the translation of the words “jihad”, “Virgins of Paradise’’ and “suicide bomber martyrdom missions”.

The case against Robert “Musa’’ Cerantonio, Paul Dacre, Shayden Thorne, Kadir Kaya, Murat Kaya and Antonio Gra­nata heard evidence of an AFP operation against the Melbourne group, which included telephone intercepts and other surveillance.

Last month the six men admitted a plan to sail a small boat to the Philippines to help overthrow the government. Five of the men were arrested near Cairns in 2016, towing a 7m boat, intending to sail from Cape York to the Philippines.

In the 2017 hearing, interpreter Vera Oujami told the court she had been asked to translate a glossary of Arabic terms for investigators.

She said she had given a faithful interpretation of how the words could be used, rejecting a defence lawyer’s suggestion that “jihad” meant “per­sonal struggle” rather than “Islamic holy war”.

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