‘Tinnie terrorist’ arrested for allegedly accessing prohibited material

A convicted terrorist has been arrested in Melbourne for allegedly trying to access prohibited internet sites.

A convicted terrorist has been arrested in Melbourne accused of accessing prohibited internet sites.

Paul Dacre — one of the so-called “tinnie terrorists” — was arrested by the Australian Federal Police High Risk Terrorist Offender (HPTO) team at an Epping home on Thursday morning.

Dacre, 35, is accused of failing to comply with a Control Order condition imposed on him after his release from prison last May.

The order prevents him from accessing certain internet services — which police allege he did.

Dacre has been charged with eleven counts of contravening a Federal Court of Australia Control Order, which carry a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.

Dacre and his three co-accused — Antonio Granata, Kadir Kaya and Shayden Thorne — were convicted over a plot to sail to the Philippines and join an Islamic State faction in a bid to overthrow the government then impose sharia law.

The four “tinnie terrorists” were arrested in 2016 while towing a small boat to Queensland.

AFP counter terror teams have arrested six people accused of breaching a Control Order since July 2020.

Paul Dacre.

Last month Granata, 30, was freed on bail after being charged with breaching a strict control order.

It related to the prohibited use of a mobile phone.

Dacre faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday night and made no application for bail.

He is due to reappear at court on April 22.

AFP assured the public no specific or impending threat has been identified in relation to the alleged order breach.

AFP Acting Commander Alex Nicolson said high risk terrorist offenders will be charged if they breached their control orders.

“The AFP’s High Risk Terrorist Offender teams work tirelessly to ensure court-issued Control Orders are complied with and remain committed to enforcing identified alleged breaches such as this one,” he said.

Anyone with information about extremist activity or possible threats to the community are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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