Another terrorist plotter to walk free from jail despite risk
A tinnie terrorist who was jailed after a bumbling jihad plot is set to be released after spending less than four years in prison, despite authorities deeming him at moderate to high risk of reoffending.
Police & Courts
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A tinnie terrorist jailed over a bumbling jihad plot will be released back into the community on Saturday despite authorities assessing his risk of reoffending as “moderate-high”.
Shayden Thorne is the second of six co-offenders to be released after spending less than four years in prison.
Thorne will be subject to strict conditions after a Federal Court judge on Friday placed him on an interim control order, limiting his freedom.
Details of the order have not yet been made public.
Thorne opposed the order and will return to court later this year to fight for unrestricted freedom.
He admitted being involved in an audacious plot to sail a small boat to the Philippines to help overthrow that government.
But the plan — which involved towing a 7m craft from Bendigo to launch it in Far North Queensland — was so ridiculous it was later acknowledged the men would never have made it by sea.
He faced a maximum sentence of life behind bars after pleading guilty to a foreign incursion offence.
Applying for the order, Commander Sandra Booth, of the AFP, told Justice Paul Anastasiou she had assessed Thorne as a “moderate-high” risk of reoffending. She said the order was necessary to ensure public safety.
As part of her assessment Commander Booth relied on a risk assessment report prepared on Thorne.
He was refused parole but his sentence expires on Saturday.
Justice Anastassiou has placed one of Thorne’s co-offenders on a similar order.
Under the terms of his order, that co-offender — who was released from prison in January — cannot leave the country and can only leave Victoria with approval from police. He has to abide by an overnight curfew and report to police twice a week.
The co-offender has also been barred from using any phone, using social media apps including Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp or Telegram, and from online gaming.
Four other co-offenders remain behind bars.
From late 2015, the men planned their amateurish trip to the Philippines, stockpiling weapons and clothing, and expecting their partners and children to join them there.
Police arrested the men 200km north of Cairns in May 2016.
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