Abdul Benbrika’s son Ibrahim convicted of possessing and transporting unauthorised explosives

The son of convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika was convicted this year of possessing and transporting unauthorised explosives.

Abdul Nacer Benbrika when imprisoned.

The son of terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika – who is living with his father – was convicted earlier this year of possessing and transporting unauthorised explosives as part of an illicit fireworks scheme during the Victorian Covid-19 lockdowns.

It comes as the Australian Federal Police on Tuesday failed in its quest to ensure Benbrika – who walked free from Barwon prison this week after serving a 15-year sentence for serious terror offences – should have no contact with two of his other sons, Bakr and Oussama.

The Weekend Australian understands the AFP tried to prohibit contact between Benbrika and his sons because of their association with convicted terrorists and underworld gangsters.

Court records obtained by The Weekend Australian reveal that Ibrahim Benbrika was convicted on July 17 of possessing an explosive substance without an excuse, transporting explosives and dealing with proceeds of crime, for which he was fined $1500.

As part of the aggregate order, the 23-year-old was also convicted of a charge of theft, three counts of failing to answer bail, seven counts of drive while disqualified, seven counts of contravene a conduct condition to bail, and other offences.

A charge of possessing cocaine was dismissed under section 76 of the sentencing act.

Ibrahim Benbrika was found to have assisted a smash repairer whose business declined during the Covid-19 lockdowns and who turned to selling illegal fireworks.

The clandestine operation advertised fireworks on social media services including Snapchat, before a member of the public tipped off police.

Victorian Supreme Court judge Elizabeth Hollingworth did not outline in her ruling why the AFP thought that Benbrika should not have contact with his children, nor their ages or where they lived.

The Weekend Australian can reveal that in 2015, Bakr Benbrika was stopped at Melbourne airport on suspicion of planning to travel to Syria. He was also found to be a member of a small WhatsApp group with three convicted terrorists.

Between April 24, 2020, and May 7, 2020, Oussama Benbrika exchanged 36 multimedia messages, 74 text messages and two phone calls with gangster Ahmed Elomar, whose brother Mohamed died while fighting for Islamic State in Iraq and shocked the world by posing with severed heads.

Police enter the home convicted terrorist Abdul Benbrika is required to reside at. Picture: Liam Mendes

In June 2018, when police stopped a car Oussama was travelling, they discovered three copies of the Koran with bookmarks on pages that referred to “killing Shi’ites” and “enemies as livestock”.

In 2015, he faced Broadmeadows magistrates court for a matter involving Victoria Police’s Critical Incident Response Team.

It is unclear whether this information was submitted by the AFP to Justice Hollingworth. On Tuesday, she noted that the AFP evidence had been “very limited” on the reasons as to why Bakr and Oussama should not have contact with their father.

Justice Hollingworth said that in her first review, she had concluded: “If I were otherwise minded to order an extended supervision order, such an extraordinary prohibition (the sons’ ban) should be decided by the court, not left as a matter of unfettered discretion for the AFP superintendent to decide.”

She said any such ban could only be imposed by a court variation made on cogent, admissible evidence.