Former terror accused Maywand Osman released after time in Supermax

A man once accused of being involved in one of Australia’s most high-profile terror plots has been released after time in the notorious Supermax jail.

Maywand Osman has been released with a supervision order put in place. Picture: Matrix for News Corp Australia

A man once accused of being involved in one of Australia’s most high-profile terror plots who spent years in the notorious Supermax jail has been released with an 11th hour supervision order put in place.

Maywand Osman, 26, who mixed with convicted terrorists and fellow prisoners Belal Khazaal and Omar Baladjam while in jail according to a Supreme Court judgment, had been refused parole earlier this year and forced to serve his full sentence of five years and three months.

But as his release date loomed authorities were left scrambling to get an interim supervision order in place.

With just three days to spare, the NSW Supreme Court issued interim supervision orders that Osman carry an approved mobile phone, not buy, hire or drive a car without prior approval, allow his internet use to be monitored and be available for interview at all times.

A NSW Police photo taken when Maywand Osman was detained by police during the joint strike force Appleby tasked with counter terrorism raids across Sydney and Brisbane.

The former Epping Boys High School student must also undergo psychological assessment, not take drugs or consume alcohol without approval and not engage in any extremist activities among a range of other restrictions.

Osman was swept up in Operation Appleby anti-terror raids in 2014 and the Australian Federal Police charged him over a conspiracy to attack the AFP‘s Sydney headquarters and the Garden Island Naval Base. Those charges were dropped two years later due to lack of evidence.

He was convicted and jailed for unrelated offences of affray and recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm during a violent incident while he was a student at Macquarie University.

Maywand Osman, a former terror accused, pictured in Marsfield. Picture: Matrix for News Corp Australia

But Osman was treated by the State of NSW as a “convicted NSW terrorism activity offender” even though he was not convicted of a terrorism offence, because he was also convicted on three counts of breaching a control order while he was on bail for the terrorism charges – which were later dropped.

The breach of the control order was for twice using a public phone and once using a mobile phone, not approved by police, to talk with his childhood school friend Mustafa Dirani. Dirani was later jailed for conspiring to do an act in preparation of a terrorist act relating to the murder of police employee Curtis Cheng. Their conversations did not touch on any terrorism related matters.

While in jail Osman completed a number of rehabilitation activities and since 2017 engaged in the PRISM program – a case management program for offenders who are at risk of violent extremism.

A NSW Police photo taken when Maywand Osman was detained by police during the joint strike force Appleby tasked with counter terrorism raids across Sydney and Brisbane.

The once troubled youth who described his life before prison as a “gangster lifestyle” has been described by prison chaplains as a polite and engaged man who now poses no risk to the community and is making plans for a positive future.

The Supreme Court was told he has participated in education, employment and rehabilitation programs and sought continued religious guidance from the Muslim prison chaplains.

The court was also told Osman has conceded that he once held extremist violent views but does not hold those views any longer. He was risk profiled two years ago using the Violent Extremism Risk Assessment tool which rated him as moderate to low risk of offending of that nature.

Osman had been fighting for his release on parole after the NSW State argued he still posed an unacceptable risk of committing a serious terrorism offence if not kept under supervision.

But a consulting psychologist raised concerns that he may still be still a moderate to high risk of engaging politically motivated violence or violent extremism.

The court imposed the interim supervision order to take effect when Osman was released until a final hearing date for orders.

Originally published as Former terror accused Maywand Osman released after time in Supermax