Man accused of Syria plan

A Queensland man will appear in court today on terrorism offences, accused of planning to join Islamic State.

Zaid Abdus Samad, 21 was arrested at a home in Didcot street, Kuraby.

A Queensland man will appear in court today on terrorism offences, accused of planning to travel to Syria to join Islamic State.

Zaid Abdus Samad, 21, also ­allegedly encouraged and recruited others to join him in travelling to Syria to engage in hostile ­activities in 2016 and 2017.

Police say Mr Samad and the others involved did not leave Australia, but he is now facing charges that carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Members of the Queensland Joint Counter Terrorism Team — made up of federal and state police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation — arrested Mr Samad in a pre-dawn raid on his home at Kuraby, in Brisbane’s south, on Saturday.

He is a nephew of murdered Brisbane restaurateur Abdul ­Basith Mohammed, who was stabbed to death on his front lawn in the same suburb last October, police said.

“The Queensland JCTT would like to reassure the community there is no current or impending threat to the community,” police said.

AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Matthew Rippon said the arrest followed a “highly complex and sensitive investigation” and was “a reminder that the threat posed by terrorism is ongoing”.

Mr Samad has been charged with five counts of preparations for foreign incursions, two counts of recruiting others into organisations engaged in foreign hostile activities, and seven counts of preparing others for foreign ­incursions.

His solicitor Brendan Beavon said he expected to apply for bail for Mr Samad when he appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court today.